Thousands of teachers participated in the Joint AIFUCTO-DUTA Protest Demo at Jantar Mantar today, expressing the nation-wide teaching community’s collective disappointment and anger with the Government’s neglect of the Public Higher Education Sector. Teachers’ associations of other central universities based in Delhi, viz. JNUTA, Jamia Teachers’ Association and IGNOUTA also joined the Demo.
While the Government’s approval of the Third Amendment to the UGC Regulations (2010), removal of anomalies arising out of the last Pay Revision, Ph.D. regulations, withdrawal of the notification on implementation of the Choice-based Credit System (CBCS), withdrawal of the Central Universities Bill, and withdrawal of API for Promotions were the immediate demands, the large gathering also protested against the huge arbitrary slash in public spending on education in the current Budget.
The participating teachers’ associations have also been collectively demanding the immediate constitution of the 7th Pay Review Committee and restoration of the Assured Pension Scheme.
The leaders’ delegation of all participating associations were prevented from meeting the HRD Minister Smt. Smriti Irani and were forced to court arrest in protest. At least 200 teachers courted arrest at the Sansad Marg Police Station.
The DUTA appreciates this tremendous show of unity by teachers who have come from colleges and universities across the different states of India and congregated at today’s Protest. However, it is shameful that despite letters written by the AIFUCTO leadership repeatedly to the Minister over a period of nine months, she has refused to meet the teachers’ associations even once. This arrogance indicates the Government’s indifferent and undemocratic attitude towards higher education.
Additionally, the DUTA criticizes the MHRD for not doing enough to ensure the complete implementation of the OBC-Expansion Plan. The second tranche of teaching posts under the Plan have been held up in many universities including DU, thereby resulting in unhealthy student-teacher ratio that makes a mockery of teaching and learning. It also holds the MHRD squarely responsible for the continuing misery of retired teachers whose pensions have been unlawfully held up by the DU administration, as well as dragging its feet over removing the corrupt and autocratic DU Vice-Chancellor, even when serious charges of administrative and financial lapses have been proven against him.
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