Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has observed that “appointment of guest lecturers on a large scale without regular appointment of teachers is likely to make a huge dent on the quality of teaching and hugely hamper the interests of students”.
The ruling came on a petition filed by a guest lecturer at Khallikote Unitary University, who had challenged his removal after four years.
A single Bench of Justice S K Panigrahi ruled that “the position of a guest lecturer, being contractual in nature, cannot be vested with the right of continuation”.
“The appointment and tenure of guest lecturers is based on the policy of the institution and courts cannot interfere in such matters,” Justice Panigrahi observed on Tuesday.
While rejecting the petition, Justice Panigrahi observed, “It is the prerogative of the institution to allow him to continue or discontinue on the basis of performance, conduct etc., as it is not a regular post. The so-called equity arising out of the temporary employment and seeking continuation, per se does not sustain, as court should be precluded from issuing any order of continuation.”
Justice Panigrahi said there cannot be any absolute rule or principle that one ad hoc or temporary appointee can never be replaced by another ad hoc or temporary appointee.
“Further, the guest faculty will not be able to work with a free mind and there will always be fear of termination at the whims and fancy of the principal or vice-chancellors. This court believes that students of Odisha deserve good teachers and quality education,” he observed.