As a University that has made a vital contribution to our nation’s Higher Education, the Delhi University has hitherto boasted of plural, inclusive, tolerant and symbiotic environment of teaching-learning fostered collectively by teachers, students and the karamcharis. The collegial and reciprocal unity of these three significant stakeholders of the University has been sustained through democratic systems of representation and decision-making. Through the democratic means enshrined in the Delhi University Act of 1922 and its Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations, as well as through the vigorous participation of teachers, students and karamcharis in the activities of their respective associations and unions, the University has been able to attain and hold on to a composite national character. This University has nurtured people who have gone on to provide academic, political and cultural leadership to the nation. However, the situation within the University has become stifling and intolerable for the entire fraternity. The rule of law is being openly and shamelessly flouted by the University Administration and the current Vice Chancellor prefers to run the University by abusing his Emergency Powers. Every decision connected with teaching-learning is being arrogated by him and he chooses to impose his autocratic will over all the organs of the University fraternity. As teachers, karamcharis and students suffer from perpetual ebb in confidence and are forced to continue working in an atmosphere of alienation and fear, the VC remains unmoved. Despite umpteen protests against his callous indifference towards the University’s employees and students, despite innumerable appeals against his intransigent will, the VC remains inaccessible.
The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) is gravely concerned that while on the one hand the VC paints a rosy picture of ‘innovation’ and success for Delhi University, he refuses to allow appointments in close to four thousand vacant teaching positions on the other! The employment of an adequate number of teachers who will provide stable teaching and contribute to the growth of the colleges and departments of the University is urgently required. Scores of young temporary, ad hoc and guest teachers are disillusioned and depressed as their future is held in ransom by this VC! Even permanent teachers feel stagnated and cut-off as they are not allowed to experience any growth in their careers. Promotions that have been due for the last two years or more have not happened as the VC has not allowed Selection Committees to meet and even advertised vacancies have been made to lapse. Moreover, by not allowing appointments, the VC has also kept at bay the implementation of the 2006 UGC Guidelines on Reservations in all entry-level posts. This is not only a retrogressive thing to do, but it is also unconstitutional to deny SCs, STs, and OBCs their rights to employment in the public sector, as mandated by the law of the land.
The DUTA has also been greatly exercised about the inordinate delay in removal of the anomalies and negative service conditions that pertain to the 2006 Pay Revision. The VC is a prominent member of the Anand Krishnan Committee which was appointed by the UGC to resolve these anomalies. The Committee had assured the DUTA that its Report will be out by June 2012, but not a single word has been communicated by the Committee since then.
The DUTA has been continuously writing to the VC, patiently seeking an audience with him on all these crucial matters and hoping for an amicable solution through dialogue, but now holds the view that all appeals to civility and good sense have gone in vain. There has not even been a word of reply to any of our letters. Instead, the VC has resorted to evade the DUTA and undermine its representative status by trying to fix up ‘consultations’ with individual teachers who are handpicked by his aides and loyalists in the Administration! On every available public platform, he has allowed his team-members to vilify the DUTA and spread canards against it. This highly objectionable behaviour has been borne patiently till now, but keeping in mind the urgency of these issues which are bound to have catastrophic consequences if they are left unresolved, the DUTA Executive has decided to put the ball in the VC’s court. We have been compelled to call for a One-day Token Strike of the teachers, accompanied by a 24 hours Hunger Strike of all the elected teachers in the DUTA Executive, Academic Council and Executive Council. We had hoped that instead of arbitrarily invoking a “No Work No Pay” on the basis of an inapplicable Interim Order of the Delhi High Court, the VC would appeal for reciprocity and propose a roadmap for the Resolution of our Grievances. Instead, he has warned teachers from going on Strike and yet again attacked the collective self-worth and dignity of the teaching community. What is more, a measure of cowardice is reflected in the fact that instead of addressing teachers directly, he has made the Registrar issue these letters in her own capacity. It must be made very clear that the Registrar does not have the right, statutory or even conventional, to issue such letters. Hence, the DUTA dismisses these letters and appeals to teachers to carry on with the Strike. If the VC and University Administration refuse to respond positively, the DUTA Executive will be forced to consider intensifying the stir and may resort to decisive action in defense of the dignity of the teaching profession and the democratic rights of all stakeholders in the University.
S.D. Siddiqui, Secretary Amar Deo Sharma, President
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