DUTA PRESS RELEASE, 30.05.2016

Teachers, students and their families marched in thousands from Mandi House to Parliament Street to show a clear thumbs-down to the Government’s insidious attempts to cut jobs and deny promotions through its anti-education Gazette Notification.

Through this spectacular People’s March, the DUTA has given a powerful clarion call for a widespread movement against the MHRD’s narrow parameters on workload calculation and impossible API targets for promotions. Teachers and students are resolute in their determination to not submit to the MHRD’s bullying and will leave no stone unturned to broaden the DUTA’s movement to a Mass Campaign against the Government’s attack on public-funded higher education.

Despite the massive turnout at the People’s March, the HRD Minister did not meet nor did she depute any official to meet the DUTA representatives or understand the teachers’ concerns. While the media has reported her statement that she is willing to  meet Teachers’ Associations on the API and workload issues, the Ministry has maintained a shocking silence over the parallel decision to block the release of the Second Tranche of teaching posts under the OBC-Expansion Scheme. Its stubborn stand has damaged the job-prospects of 5000 young teachers in DU alone and has put a question-mark on the promotions and career-advancement of the entire teaching community. This attack on the  educated youth who are shouldering the responsibility of running the biggest public-administered system of affordable, inclusive and quality-driven higher education undermines the very mandate of this Government. By introducing such retrogressive amendments to the UGC regulations, this Government is pushing the academic talent of the nation back to the trailing-end of the global knowledge society.”

The DUTA submitted a Memorandum of Demands to the MHRD officials (text shared in attachment). The DUTA will continue with Evaluation Boycott till Thursday, May 2 when it will convene its next General Body to decide on the modes of escalation in the Movement.

Please find the Memorandum enclosed.

Photos of the programme can be found at:
1. Photos
2. Photos