The new system would apparently cut down the number of posts available for SC and ST candidates. (File)

A Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader has written to Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar demanding immediate steps to bring a Bill restoring the 200-point roster for teaching positions in higher education institutions saying the new system would cut down the number of posts available for SC and ST candidates.

RJD leader Manoj Jha said that 11 universities across the country recently advertised for 700 teaching posts, but only 18 were available in the SC quota and none for ST based on the new mechanism for implementing faculty reservations, which calculates the total posts department-wise rather than considering the institution as a unit.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) had announced in March last year that an individual department should be considered as the base unit to calculate the number of teaching posts to be reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates following an order by the Allahabad High Court in 2017.

The HRD Ministry had filed a special leave petition against the order which was rejected by the Supreme Court last week.

Mr Jha urged the HRD minister to show the same urgency which was shown in reserving 10 per cent seats in colleges and jobs for the economically weaker upper caste. The Bill was passed in both the houses earlier this month.

"Otherwise it will be tantamount to generational losses to the educational attainment to the OBC, SC and ST communities," he wrote to Mr Javadekar.

Earlier, union minister Ram Vilas Paswan had also urged the centre to restore the old system so that the constitutional rights of the marginalised sections are protected.

All current ad-hoc teachers have been appointed according to the 200-point college/university-wise roster.

The Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) has also written to Mr Javadekar, reiterating that the department-wise roster will result in a massive reduction of teaching posts for aspirants from ST, SC and OBC backgrounds, thereby drastically reducing their representation and participation in higher education.

"It will push out from universities a large number of teachers from ST, SC and OBC backgrounds who have been working on ad hoc or temporary basis with a hope of getting permanent jobs," the DUTA said.