Press Release, 10.12.2013

On 12 December, the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) will participate in the historic March of all trade unions convened by the All-India Central Trade Unions in New Delhi. Since this March represents the legitimate aspirations of all working peoples of India and the widespread anger against the Government’s irresponsible policies and skewed agenda of development, the DUTA is confident that it will genuinely further the cause of the working peoples and their representative Trade Unions.

The DUTA is fighting a prolonged battle against the Government’s agenda of privatization and commercialization in higher education. It is also confronting the large-scale contractualization of teaching jobs, denial of pension and social security, denial of professional and basic rights and the consistent policy of disenfranchising and alienating teachers from any kind of decision-making that will affect the collective fate and dignity of the teaching community. Its consistent struggle against the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) which reflects the Central Government’s anti-people agenda of reforms in Higher Education is a case in point. Rising costs of education and the steady exclusion of poorer people and minorities from the ambit of education can also be attributed to the Government’s indifferent interest in education and the desired entry of Foreign Capital in this sector. The DUTA feels that these skewed policies and bogus reforms in Education have alienated large sections of people and the Assembly Elections outcome in Delhi reflects the growing unpopularity of the Congress Party.

Through its own struggles, the DUTA is not only fighting for the survival of its Trade Union spirit, but also trying to pave the way for future struggles against FDI in higher education. Hence it expresses its solidarity with all trade unions that have come together to combat Disinvestment, Public-Private Partnership model, Privatisation of Pension, large scale Contractualisation in jobs and disparity in wage and service conditions between contract workers and regular employees, among other issues.

The DUTA appeals to all teachers of Delhi University to join the March in large numbers. The March is scheduled to start at 11 am from the Ram Lila Maidan.