New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS): A collective of Delhi University teachers has demanded the varsity Vice Chancellor to implement the law to grant maternity leave to the ad hoc female teachers of the university.

The Academics for Action and Development wrote to the Vice Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi after receiving a letter from the Aditi Mahavidyalaya, a women's college, whose governing body in July this year had decided that maternity leave may be granted to the female staff in consonance with the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017.

"Thousands of ad hoc teachers have been suffering on account of 'no-maternity-policy' for non-permanent female employees. Many careers have been jeopardised because of this policy. In many cases, women employees had to report to work very next day of child-birth," Executive Council member Rajesh Jha wrote in his letter, signed by many other faculty members.

The amendment passed in 2017 extended the quota of maximum maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. However, the ad hoc women teacher at Delhi University do not enjoy the benefit.

Since the colleges are entitled to keep an ad hoc teacher for a maximum of four months --a contract which is almost always extended -- perpetuating the temporary nature of job permanently -- the ad hoc employees are granted only three-four casual leave during their stay.

There are about 2500-3000 ad hoc women teachers in the Delhi University, who will be eligible for maternity leave if the decision is implemented.

The matter also came up in the Academic Council meeting of the university last month, which could not arrive at any decision.