Ad-hoc faculty recruitment system and their impact on higher education– Explained, pointwise

Introduction

The incident of a Delhi University lecturer’s death brings focus on the serious problems in India’s ad-hoc faculty recruitment system. His unsuccessful attempt to secure tenure, despite five years of temporary teaching, shows the tough conditions faced by these educators and how it can affect the quality of our higher education.  

About the procedure for the Ad-hoc faculty recruitment system

The ad-hoc faculty recruitment system is typically utilized in situations where there are vacant positions that need to be filled on a temporary basis, often due to faculty shortages.  

The process begins with the identification of a need for additional faculty, often due to vacancies left by permanent staff. Once this need is identified, the university or institution advertises the open positions. These advertisements may occur periodically.  

Upon selection, ad-hoc teachers are hired on a temporary basis, often for a duration of 120 days. After the initial period of 120 days, there is a one-day notional break, after which their services can be renewed, again on a temporary basis. This renewal is not guaranteed and is subject to the institution’s requirements and the individual’s performance.  

It’s important to note that the use of ad-hoc faculty is intended to be a temporary measure. According to UGC norms, non-permanent teachers should not exceed 10% of the total sanctioned posts. However, this limit is often surpassed in practice due to the ongoing faculty shortages.  

What is the need for Ad-hoc faculties in higher education institutes?

Filling Vacant Positions: Ad-hoc faculty are often needed to fill vacant positions in higher education institutions. For instance, Delhi University had 900 vacancies, creating a significant shortage of faculty. Ad-hoc faculty can step in to fill these gaps and ensure that classes are taught and students’ educational needs are met.  

Providing Flexibility: Ad-hoc faculty provide a level of flexibility to educational institutions. They can be brought in to cover for permanent faculty who are on leave, or to handle increased enrolment in certain courses.  

Addressing Budget Constraints: Budget constraints can also necessitate the use of ad-hoc faculty. Hiring full-time, permanent faculty can be a significant financial commitment for institutions. Adhoc faculty, who typically do not receive the same level of benefits as their permanent counterparts, can be a more budget-friendly option.  

Meeting Specialized Needs: Sometimes, institutions need faculty with specialized knowledge for a limited period or for specific courses. In such cases, it might not be feasible to hire a full-time faculty member. Ad-hoc faculty with the required specialization can be brought in to meet these specific needs.

For example, if a university is offering a new course on a specific emerging technology, they might hire an ad-hoc faculty member who is an expert in that area to teach that course.  

Handling Academic Restructuring: Academic restructuring can lead to a rise in the need for ad-hoc teachers. Changes in the academic system, like the shift from an annual system to a semester system, or the introduction of new programs, can create a temporary need for additional faculty, which can be filled by ad-hoc appointments.  

What are the issues with the ad-hoc faculty recruitment system in higher education institutions?

Over-reliance on Ad-hoc Faculty: Universities often rely heavily on ad-hoc faculty due to persisting faculty vacancies, leading to an imbalance in the teaching ecosystem.

For instance, the proportion of ad-hoc teachers at Delhi University has surpassed 50% of the total teachers’ strength, violating the permissible UGC norm of a maximum of 10% of the sanctioned posts through non-permanent teachers.  

Delayed or Irregular Recruitment Processes: The recruitment process for permanent positions is often delayed or not conducted at all, leading to an increase in the hiring of ad-hoc faculty. Delhi University, for example, advertised teaching posts in 2015, 2017, and 2019 but failed to conduct interviews in the majority of the departments and colleges.  

Lack of Clear Pathway to Permanent Positions: In the existing recruitment system, there seems to be no clear pathway for ad-hoc teachers to transition to permanent positions. This lack of a structured process for absorption into permanent roles results in ad-hoc teachers remaining in temporary positions for extended periods.  

Low Quality of Applicants: The quality of applicants is sometimes seen as a reason for not filling vacancies with permanent hires, leading to increased reliance on ad-hoc teachers.

According to the former vice-chancellor of the University of Allahabad, poor training of PhD candidates and selection based on non-academic considerations like caste, religion or politics lead to a poor quality of applicants.  

Failure to Regularize Ad-hoc Faculty: Despite ad-hoc faculty often meeting the same eligibility criteria as permanent professors, there is a marked difference in their service conditions. Even though they work full-time and in substantive posts, they are not absorbed into permanent positions.  

What are the challenges faced by ad-hoc faculties?

Denial of Benefits: Ad-hoc teachers are deprived of several benefits that are available to their permanent counterparts. They do not receive annual increments, promotions, medical benefits, or maternity leaves. This disparity is evident despite these teachers working full-time on substantive posts.  

Fear of Displacement: Ad-hoc faculty often live in fear of being replaced when permanent positions are finally filled. In the wake of recent faculty recruitments at Delhi University, about 70% of ad-hoc faculty were displaced, leading to increased anxiety among these temporary staffs.  

Low Pay and Delays in Payment: The compensation for ad-hoc faculty is often significantly lower than for permanent staff. Furthermore, their pay is subject to delays and can be cut due to holidays. A guest faculty at the University of Madras, for example, receives about 20,000 rupees per month, which can be subject to delays and cuts.  

Increased Workload: With a shortage of permanent faculty, ad-hoc teachers often bear a larger workload, including teaching, curriculum development, admissions procedures, and other departmental activities. This increased burden can even double their teaching hours in some weeks.  

Limited Career Growth Opportunities:  Ad-hoc faculty have limited opportunities for career growth due to the temporary nature of their position. Without a clear pathway to permanent positions, these teachers may find their professional development stunted.  

What should be done?

One-Time Absorption Regulation: The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) has called for a one-time bill or regulation to absorb ad-hoc teachers into permanent positions. This would provide job security and full benefits to thousands of teachers who have been serving in temporary roles.  

Increase in Budgetary Expenditure on Education: To address the faculty shortage, some suggest increasing the budgetary expenditure on education. This could help in overcoming the faculty shortage problem and reduce the workload on current professors.  

Routine Recruitment: There’s a need for recruitment to be done on a routine basis. This would prevent a build-up of vacant positions and reduce the reliance on ad-hoc faculty.  

Better Treatment of Ad-hoc Teachers: In the interim, it’s important that ad-hoc teachers are treated with respect and are given fair compensation for their work. They should also be provided with better work conditions, including reasonable work hours and prompt payment.  

Improve Infrastructure and Location of Universities: Universities located in remote areas often struggle to attract qualified faculty, leading to a greater need for ad-hoc faculty. Improving the infrastructure and location of universities could attract more qualified professors to permanent positions, reducing the need for ad-hoc faculty.  

Permanent Positions Filling: The government and university authorities must focus on filling all vacant posts with permanent teachers. This would ensure students receive quality education and teachers engage in institution-building. 

Sources: The Hindu (Article 1 and Article 2), Indian Express (Article 1 and Article 2), Times of India, Financial Express

Syllabus: GS 2 – Social Justice: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education