A DUTA delegation comprising its President, Secretary, Joint Secretary & Treasurer had a detailed meeting yesterday evening with Mr. M Pallam Raju, Hon’ble Union Minister, HRD, GOI. The DUTA Office-bearers apprised the Minister of the utter mess and the sordid state of affairs the University of Delhi is in. DUTA pointed out how the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dinesh Singh, is by-passing the Statutory Bodies, viz, the Academic Council (AC) and the Executive Council (EC) as well as the Elected Bodies, viz, the DUTA, DUSU and DUCKU, and taking all decisions in a unilateral, authoritarian manner. That the Vice-Chancellor is flouting the University Act, Statutes, Ordinances, Rules and Regulations in bringing about innocuous and lopsided changes in the name of “Reforms”, is known to one and all. DUTA made is clear to the honourable Minister that, by his antics, Prof. Dinesh Singh is out to destroy the system of Higher Education and the Academic values the DU is known for. Furthermore, the VC is hell-bent on inflicting incalculable damage to the interests of students by doing away with the confidentiality and secrecy of the Examination system.
The Hon’ble Minister’s attention was also drawn to Cobalt 60 Irradiator Case (when a highly sensitive radioactive apparatus was unscrupulously sold to a scrap dealer resulting in one death and ailment to various others) where the VC refuses to fix responsibility and bring the guilty to the book; Infamous Marks Scam (when the marks of students in the recent Semester Exams were disproportionately jacked-up in the name of moderation); and above all, the Commonwealth Games (CWG) Financial Scam(involving embezzlement of around 500 Crore rupees as per the Report of Shungulu Committee set up by the GOI) in which the VC and University EC refused to allow permission while the CBI wants to prosecute the University’s Chief Engineer!!
DUTA stressed the fact that, in view of the above, while the University is stinking and ailing, the VC refuses to meet and talk to the DUTA on the issues of academic concerns. Prof. Dinesh Singh, doggedly refuses to mend his ways and calls DUTA an “illegal body made by teachers” while his office brands the teachers’ activities as “farcical”! While everybody, namely, the Hon’ble President of India, the Chief Minister of Delhi, the UGC Chairman, and now the Hon’ble Union HRD Minister have no reservation in meeting and having consultations with DUTA, only Prof. Dinesh Singh, DU VC, considers DUTA an untouchable pariah!
The Hon’ble Minister gave DUTA a patient hearing and was surprised by the strange and inscrutable behaviour of the VC. He felt disturbed when informed that the Indefinite-Relay-Hunger-Strike of DUTA had entered the 42nd day but the VC continues to remain inhumanly indifferent and cold. The Minister observed that while reforms are welcome, these must be arrived at by consensus and in consultation with teachers. He promised to intervene in the matter to ensure that the VC opens dialogue with DUTA and starts a process of consultation and participative discussion in a candid environment of free and frank debate to effect any meaningful change in the academic system or structure of courses and syllabi in the University.
S.D. Siddiqui, Secretary Amar Deo Sharma, President
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