DU Urdu Prof Post Vacant For 12 Years

New Delhi, Dec 7 (UNI) A professorial vacancy for the past 12 years in Delhi University's Urdu Department has evoked a protest from 26 Members of Parliament as reflecting authorities ''apathy and callousness.'' The MPs led by Indian National Congress Member Raashid Alvi are petitioning President Pratibha Patil, Visitor of the University, to ask Vice-Chancellor Deepak Pental to expedite the process.

They said despite growing calls to encourage vernacular languages to arrest the onslaught of English, a post of professor and many posts of Readers and Lecturers in the Department have been lying vacant for the last 12 years.

An ''urgent step'' alone can save students from ''the inexpressible problems'' they face, the MPs wrote.

They include Tariq Anwar, Jaya Bachhan, Nirmala Deshpande, Ram Dev Bhandari, Rishang Keishing, Devender Yadav and Vijay Krishna.

Prof Pental could not be reached immediately for comment.

UNI