MHRD’S evasive and misleading response is unacceptable
The MHRD discloses the fact that these Amendments are based on the recommendations of the Nigavekar Committee. The Nigavekar Committee’s notoriety is widespread in the teaching community as the Committee refused to have any consultation with, or register the concerns of, teachers’ bodies like AIFUCTO, FEDCUTA and the DUTA.
The MHRD has hastily put a stamp of approval on the Committee’s unilateral exercise of modifying the APIs in ways that are bound to have far-reaching adverse effects on the quality of education imparted in public-funded universities and colleges.
1. By excluding Tutorials from ‘Direct Teaching’ hours, the Amendments have, in one fell blow, destroyed the only system of small-group interactions between students and teachers. The system of Tutorials has been integral to the practice of mentoring and catering to the individual learning needs and challenges of students.
2. By devaluing Practical and Laboratory Training in the Sciences, the Amendments have attacked the very soul of Science-Teaching.
3. By recommending a Lecture-centric teaching load for API targets, the Amendments have insidiously provided a basis for a Quantum reduction in Workload, a step which endangers the job-prospects of 50% of the existing faculty in DU.
4. The MHRD has deliberately concealed the fact that this Notification was accompanied by the UGC’s express instructions to college principals that the Second Tranche of teaching posts sanctioned under the OBC Expansion Scheme were being withheld indefinitely. The DUTA sees this underhand move as further indication of the MHRD’s intention to downsize faculty without any regard to the quality of education.
5. The Government’s insincerity is about the Global Rankings of premier public-funded universities like DU is reflected in these Amendments that will further aggravate the already-adverse Student-Teacher Ratio in colleges and departments. Since Student-Teacher Ratio is an important determinant of Rankings, the University will suffer as a result of the Government’s myopic approach to teaching-learning.
6. The impossibly high teaching target of 600 Lecture-hours per year cannot be met by teachers unless they teach on all days of the week without going on a single leave. While the disastrous impact of such a target on the quality of teaching is obvious, the target has also been fixed to implicitly deny promotions and career advancement to teachers. This will result in a massive drain of academic talent from public-funded universities and colleges.
The DUTA urges the MHRD to desist from machinations to spread confusion and divide the teaching community. Unless the API system is scrapped in toto and the Gazette Notification on Amendments is withdrawn, the Movement will spread wide and escalate in its intensity. The DUTA seeks meaningful dialogue with the HRD Minister and her team of officials at the earliest so that ways are paved for an acceptable resolution to this issue.
The DUTA is dismayed at the MHRD’s evasive and misleading response on the issue of the latest unacceptable Amendments to the UGC Regulations 2010, which were notified through the Gazette on 10 May 2016.
The MHRD discloses the fact that these Amendments are based on the recommendations of the Nigavekar Committee. The Nigavekar Committee’s notoriety is widespread in the teaching community as the Committee refused to have any consultation with, or register the concerns of, teachers’ bodies like AIFUCTO, FEDCUTA and the DUTA.
The MHRD has hastily put a stamp of approval on the Committee’s unilateral exercise of modifying the APIs in ways that are bound to have far-reaching adverse effects on the quality of education imparted in public-funded universities and colleges.
1. By excluding Tutorials from ‘Direct Teaching’ hours, the Amendments have, in one fell blow, destroyed the only system of small-group interactions between students and teachers. The system of Tutorials has been integral to the practice of mentoring and catering to the individual learning needs and challenges of students.
2. By devaluing Practical and Laboratory Training in the Sciences, the Amendments have attacked the very soul of Science-Teaching.
3. By recommending a Lecture-centric teaching load for API targets, the Amendments have insidiously provided a basis for a Quantum reduction in Workload, a step which endangers the job-prospects of 50% of the existing faculty in DU.
4. The MHRD has deliberately concealed the fact that this Notification was accompanied by the UGC’s express instructions to college principals that the Second Tranche of teaching posts sanctioned under the OBC Expansion Scheme were being withheld indefinitely. The DUTA sees this underhand move as further indication of the MHRD’s intention to downsize faculty without any regard to the quality of education.
5. The Government’s insincerity is about the Global Rankings of premier public-funded universities like DU is reflected in these Amendments that will further aggravate the already-adverse Student-Teacher Ratio in colleges and departments. Since Student-Teacher Ratio is an important determinant of Rankings, the University will suffer as a result of the Government’s myopic approach to teaching-learning.
6. The impossibly high teaching target of 600 Lecture-hours per year cannot be met by teachers unless they teach on all days of the week without going on a single leave. While the disastrous impact of such a target on the quality of teaching is obvious, the target has also been fixed to implicitly deny promotions and career advancement to teachers. This will result in a massive drain of academic talent from public-funded universities and colleges.
The DUTA urges the MHRD to desist from machinations to spread confusion and divide the teaching community. Unless the API system is scrapped in toto and the Gazette Notification on Amendments is withdrawn, the Movement will spread wide and escalate in its intensity. The DUTA seeks meaningful dialogue with the HRD Minister and her team of officials at the earliest so that ways are paved for an acceptable resolution to this issue.
Meanwhile, the Evaluation Boycott, that has been a resounding success, will continue till Saturday, 28th May, on which day the General Body of teachers will meet at 10:30 am in SRCC Auditorium to decide on the future course of action.
| NANDITA NARAIN President, DUTA |
SANDEEP Secretary, DUTA |
Get regular DUTA updates.
https://duta.live
Leave a Reply