Press Release, 20.12.2013

The report in HT “DU students to evaluate profs from January” published on, 20 December can only be read as a retaliation by the Vice Chancellor against teachers for daring to speak out against his unacademic “reforms”. It is unfortunate that the rationale provided by him has no academic basis but is only in reaction to the adverse students’ feedback from MH, SRCC and St. Stephen’s College published by the DUTA.
   
The VC is so rattled by the student feedback on FYUP that he announces teacher evaluation of students as a tit for tat measure. Analytical display of student feedback on various aspects of FYUP – its structure, Foundation Courses and course content – project the complete failure of FYUP. Over 90% of the students who participated in the exercise gave their preference to a three year UG system. The colleges carried forward the exercise of collecting students’ feedback while the VC had abandoned the idea after receiving harsh feedback from students from a few colleges.
   
What cognizance has the VC taken of the student feedback on FYUP? The feedback received provides enough reason for the VC to review FYUP to bring relief to the existing students and for future batches. Instead of opening debate on this important issue which affects roughly 60,000 students every year, the VC has announced yet another “reform” as a warning to teachers. The HT report says that the evaluation will be made a part of the teachers’ files and influence their promotions. The obvious objective of the VC is to use teachers’ evaluation by students as a tool to harass teachers. The fact that he fails to mention any other way in which this evaluation would be used to improve the system exposes the real intent behind the proposed scheme.

The Vice Chancellor should know that the students of Delhi University have given their evaluation of his performance as Head of the institution entrusted with academic standards affecting their future. He has been found guilty of grave dereliction of duty by foisting on them ridiculous and substandard courses. He wishes to pass the blame for his utter failure onto teachers who are struggling to teach these senseless courses and do their best for their students.
   
The DUTA condemns in strongest terms the tactics of intimidation adopted by the VC. Instead of responding through debate and dialogue to the serious academic issues raised by the feedback from students and teachers as well as the other urgent problems facing the University, he has once again demonstrated his feudal mentality that demands total subservience from all and his complete lack of concern for the institution which he heads. The DUTA will not be cowed down by his threats and his desperate attempts to cover up his own dismal performance.

For details of students’ feedback on FYUP, see:

Press Release on Student Feedback on FYUP, 16.12.13