DUTA Letter to Visitor, 8.6.2015

8 June 2015

Hon’ble Shri Pranab Mukherjee,


The DUTA has been continuously writing to you on matters related to grave academic and administrative misgovernance by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dinesh Singh. We had submitted a detailed ‘White Paper’ on the basis of which the MHRD, Government of India had sought responses and issued a show-cause notice to him. We were hopeful that a strong institutional response against his brazen disregard for statutory processes and rules and regulations, as well as his proven misdeeds, would help teachers, students and non-teaching staff of the University regain faith in academic sanctity and the Rule of Law. However, we are yet to see any concrete action against the Vice-Chancellor.

The delay in action has only emboldened Prof. Dinesh Singh to carry on flouting rules and statutory procedures. The Vice-Chancellor’s arrogant refusal to allow discussions regarding academic changes, restructuring of courses, curricula etc. has been further stepped up with the new Choice-based Credit System (CBCS). It will be important to recall here that such an attitude had led to the short-circuit of statutory procedure and inadequacies in academic planning in relation to the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP), all of which ultimately led to its withdrawal and brought discredit to the University. His emboldened arrogance is demonstrated by the fact that the CBCS was brought before the Academic Council only under ‘Any other item’ in January this year and then as a mere reporting item in the Executive Council meeting on 28 May 2015. The complete lack of discussion, so essential for any serious academic change, underlines how little the Vice-Chancellor cares for the fate of the thousands of students currently seeking admission to the University. Departments have been directed to prepare syllabi in less than two weeks even as the teachers of several large departments – History, Mathematics, Political Science – have unanimously adopted resolutions opposing the implementation of CBCS and pointing out its grave infirmities.

The show-cause notice issued by the MHRD had included the significant charge of violation of the Constitutional provision of Reservation in teaching posts. While the University may have formally withdrawn its statement made in Court that it had the right to implement the Reservation Roster as it pleased, the actual violation still continues to determine the rosters of Colleges and University departments and to affect the permanent and ad hoc appointments being made. We cannot understand how the Vice-Chancellor is being allowed to get away with such a matter of Constitutional impropriety.

With regard to appointments, the Vice-Chancellor has willfully chosen to deviate from current UGC Regulations and change the composition of Selection Committees for teachers (relevant pages of UGC Regulations attached). This has happened despite the Standing Directive issued by the Visitor in 2003, clearly and categorically insisting that the University of Delhi has to adhere to the UGC Regulations in this regard (copy attached). Hence, the deviation also amounts to undermining the Visitor’s statutory authority, as per the DU Act (1922).

The Vice-Chancellor has also persuaded the Executive Council to pass an illegal proposal of giving him an all-time authorization “to approve appointments of faculty and other Group ‘A’ officers on its behalf and report the same for confirmation at the next meeting of the Executive Council” (Resn. No. 107, EC of 21.1.2014; copy attached). This amounts to a flagrant violation of Statutes 6 (1) and 19 (7), wherein the responsibility of scrutinizing the recommendations of the Selection Committees and approving appointments clearly lies with the Executive Council and cannot be abdicated or delegated to any officer of the University.

The purpose behind the disregard of the Visitor’s Standing Directive on the composition of Selection Committees and of the right of the Executive Council to scrutinise appointments is evident: the complete concentration of powers to influence appointments in the hands of the Vice-Chancellor. This is a dangerous precedent on its own, and all the more so since it threatens the federal character of the institution that brings together so many constitutent colleges.

The Vice-Chancellor’s arbitrary and unilateral decision to seek a review of the Hon. Delhi High Court’s Judgment on the CPF-GPF issue and meanwhile stop pension payments to hundreds of retired employees – teachers and non-teaching staff – has endangered their lives. Many of them are ailing and in dire need of constant healthcare.  The abrupt and grossly unfair stoppage of pensions has cut them off from healthcare. This inhuman disregard for those who have spent decades in the service of the University is a telling example of the vindictive attitude adopted by Prof. Dinesh Singh, particularly since the rollback of FYUP.

He has similarly pushed through a completely unjustifiable decision to make the API-based assessment for promotion of teachers effective from 2008, though the Executive Council adopted it by amending its Ordinances on 17.8.2013. In fact, the UGC Regulation on API did not exist in 2008; it was notified on 30.6.2010 and subsequently amended in June 2013. On 14.8.2014, the Vice-Chancellor got the EC to arbitrarily change its earlier decision and make API effective from 31.12.2008, thereby harming the prospects of thousands of teachers who cannot acquire points retrospectively. Despite a subsequent clarification dated 18.11.2014 from the UGC that the Regulation in effect on the date of eligibility of a candidate will be applicable, the Vice-Chancellor has refused to correct the date of implementation to the date of amendment of the Ordinances, viz 17. 8. 2013, i.e. the date on which the Regulation came into effect in Delhi University.

You may be aware of the examination scams regularly appearing in the media these days. While the administration is not able to ensure that examinations are held properly, students compelled by social circumstances to make a break in their studies have been denied the Special Chance provision under which they could return at a later date to take the remaining examinations. And though the right to Revaluation, summarily withdrawn by a mere notice, has finally been brought back under pressure from students, the batch of 2014 has been denied this right.

The issues mentioned above are only the tip of the iceberg of the crisis of governance in Delhi University caused by the abuse of power by Prof. Dinesh Singh. The fact is that Delhi University is academically and administratively in complete disarray, its students, teachers and non-teaching staff in distress and the situation is getting worse with each passing day. We may add that anyone who seeks to question the misgovernance by the Vice-Chancellor or by other authorities who enjoy his support has to face arbitrary enquiries and unjustifiable action. The Delhi University Teachers’ Association continues to be denied space for its general body meetings and to be forced to hold them on the roads outside the University premises.

We feel compelled to ask why there is no accountability for a Vice-Chancellor against whom several extremely serious charges have been proven. Why is he being allowed to continue to inflict destruction on the University? Delhi University is one of the premier institutions of this country and lakhs of young people along with their parents pin their hopes on the quality of teaching-learning that it offers. We hope you will agree with us therefore that an answer to our question is due not only to the University community but to the public at large.

With regards,

Yours sincerely,