DU unable to find a teacher to introduce Information technology

Updated on: Monday, May 27, 2013

The foundation course, Building Mathematical Ability, was introduced by Delhi University vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh, himself a mathematician, at the orientation programme for teachers of the subject in the four-year undergraduate programme. But DU was unable to find a teacher to introduce the one on information technology—the course was introduced to a group comprising, mainly, computer science teachers by a librarian.

"It has come to this," says a teacher. "And there's a full fledged library science department in DU." The librarian of Shri Ram College of Commerce, D V Singh, 'introduced' the course on IT on May 23, when the first session of the three day programme was held.

On Saturday, May 25, he took a session that was more relevant to his area of interest —"Library & Information Resource Centres"—along with Dr Shailendra Kumar from the library and information science department at DU.

"He is heading the programme for IT," says one teacher on condition of anonymity, "He introduced the course to us and spoke about how it is to be taught and what DU wants to be taught." He was, apparently, "not that into content". Another teacher who attended the sessions says librarians are now counted as "teaching staff".

"Singh is the convener of the course. This course was more on information science. Now librarians are also considered teaching staff even if they don't takeclasses."
In reality, the position of librarians in the university hierarchy is less clear. The status of librarians has long been an issue with staff unions including Delhi University Teachers' Association. Though they are assigned similar ranks and have been treated more or less equally by the sixth pay commission, librarians are still considered "non-teaching staff" by most college administrations and their retirement age is different from that of teachers.

Teachers' groups and DUTA have demanded librarians be treated not only on a par with but as teachers for many of the senior librarians—such as DV Singh—are highly qualified. Another teacher describes them as "academic non-vacation employees of the university and colleges".

DU unable to find a teacher to introduce Information technology

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