Protests in DU college as ad hoc teacher dies by suicide weeks after sacking

A 33-year-old Delhi University ad hoc teacher was found dead at his house in outer Delhi's Rani Bagh weeks after being removed from the job at the Hindu College, the police said on Thursday, triggering a protest by former colleagues and students.

Samarveer, originally from Molki village in Rajasthan's Baran district, was found hanging from a ceiling fan in a room he shared with his cousin who had gone to duty at the time of the incident, the police said.

They said no suicide note was found, but according to the cousin, he was under depression after he lost the job.

The cousin told the police that Samarveer, who was unmarried, worked as an ad hoc lecturer in the Hindu College but a different person was appointed in his place in February.

Hindu College principal Anju Srivastava did not respond to calls and texts requesting her reaction, but the university issued a statement condoling the "sad and untimely" demise of Samarveer.

"No words can ease the pain that is being felt by all, including us in the university fraternity," the statement said.

"The University of Delhi pays its heartfelt condolences on the sad and untimely demise of Dr Samarvir and sends out healing prayers and comfort to his family in this tough time," the statement said.

Delhi University teachers and students staged a protest outside the Hindu College and demanded justice for Samarveer.

They raised slogans and carried placards.

"We stand with the ad hoc teachers' struggle demanding job security. Justice to Professor Samarveer," read one of the placards.

Shubhanshi Mishra, a Delhi University professor, said it appears that Samarveer committed suicide. "He recently lost his job at Hindu College. It appears he died by suicide because he was upset," she told PTI.

Miranda House Associate Professor Abha Dev Habib said many long-serving ad hoc teachers have been "displaced" in colleges based on "two-minute" interviews for a permanent position.

"The University has forced guest-ism by denying ad-hoc appointments against shortterm vacancies. Also, workload norms have been tweaked by 11.11.2022 DU Notification and which has overnight declared teachers as 'surplus'," she said.

The police, meanwhile, said they received a call on Wednesday regarding a man hanging himself to death at an apartment in Rani Bagh area.

When a police team reached there, they found the room was locked from inside.

A mobile crime team of the outer district was called and the door was forcibly opened, said Harendra Singh, deputy commissioner of police (Outer).

The man was found hanging from the ceiling fan using a bedsheet, the DCP said, adding he was shifted to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead.

A team of experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory, Rohini, as well as the mobile crime team inspected the spot, he said.

Several empty liquor bottles and cigarettes boxes were found in the room, the officer added.

The DCP said no foul play was suspected and the body will be handed over to his family after postmortem.

In a statement, DU Academic Council member Maya John said there is a growing need to rejuvenate the struggle for the rights of ad hoc teachers.

"Many teachers are demanding an immediate general body meeting of the DUTA (Delhi University Teachers' Association) to discuss the woes of ad hoc teachers, and to effectively fight for the rights of ad-hoc faculty," John said in a statement.

"It is a fact that a sizable number of long-serving ad-hoc teachers, who otherwise fill all the eligibility criteria for teaching posts advertised by DU colleges, and have worked very hard for their institutions, are being displaced in the recent interviews," the statement read.

It said permanent appointments are "being made through a so-called open' recruitment process that often amounts to just a five-minute interaction with the candidate and (it) has facilitated massive displacement".

Aam Aadmi Party's teachers' wing Academic for Action and Development Delhi Teachers' Association also protested on the North Campus.

"RIP Dr Samarvir! Stop massive Displacements of Adhoc and Temp Teachers! Stop Victimisation of Adhoc & Temp Teachers!" it said in a tweet.

Samarveer's friend, also a Hindu College professor, said he sounded very upset when he called him up on Sunday.

"He didn't accept a guest lecturer's job in our college earlier because he accepted an ad-hoc job in the Hindu College. He told me that after 20-plus days, the college informed him it cannot continue with his service as it's not allowed by the University. I could sense his helplessness," the friend said.

He said Samarveer also told him that his mother was very disturbed after he didn't get the permanent job he was expecting.

"He told me she lost vision an an eye. I am unable to accept that he is no more."