DUTA Letter to Staff Associations, 22.04.2018

To
President/Secretary/ Office Bearers
Staff Association
_______
_______

22 April 2018

Dear Colleagues,

The DUTA Executive met on 21 April 2018 to take stock of the struggles against the policy attacks on higher education, the recent example being that of the U-turn by the UGC and MHRD on implementation of reservation roster. The DUTA Executive congratulated Staff Associations, teachers, karamcharis and students for massive mobilization and participation in the series of action programmes. The massive participation of students from across the colleges and universities in the 28 March People’s Rally shows the success of our movement in reaching out not only to students but also members of civil society to join our campaign to save education. We are happy that our on-line petition has garnered the support of over 90,000 signatures. We need to further spread the word and reach out to our friends and students, past and present, to get more support for our movement in defence of public funded higher education.
(https://www.change.org/p/prime-minister-of-india-defend-public-funded-higher-education)

The DUTA Executive also noted that the sword of autonomy hangs on Delhi University and its colleges. Recent reports in newspapers are indicative of this real threat and teachers must be prepared to fight any sudden imposition. It is important to keep alive the movement against the consistent policy attacks on higher education, such as graded autonomy, autonomous scheme of colleges, retrograde recommendation of MHRD Notification of 2 November and negative provisions of the UGC Regulations, as well as the U-turn on the reservation roster.

The DUTA Executive took stock of the issue of the recent letter of MHRD (dated 20 April 2018) informing universities of its decision to file a SLP in the matter of the reservation roster. The Executive was of the unanimous view that political opinion needs to be mobilized on the issue to ensure social justice and no reduction in number of reserved positions in universities. Members also expressed the view that pressure must be built up to demand the withdrawal of the 5th March UGC/MHRD letter. Not only that the letter has already put a stop on the process of permanent appointments, but it will lead to a situation when thousands of ad-hoc teachers will lose their jobs in July due to change in category of vacant positions. In the light of the gravity of the situation which needs immediate resolution, the DUTA Executive decided the following programmes:

a) National Convention on Monday, 30 April 2018, IIC in which leaders from across the political spectrum will be invited to force the Government to withdraw the 5th March letter so that permanent appointments can start and there is no displacement of any ad-hoc teacher and b) a Protest programme at the PM’s Residence/ Shastri Bhawan in the second week of May (suitable date and choice of protest venue to be finalized by the Office Bearers).

The DUTA Executive took serious note of the fact that issues of appointments, absorption/ regularisation, promotions and pensions have remained unresolved for an inordinately long time. The administration’s lack of concern has led to a situation of complete breakdown. The DUTA Executive decided upon the following action programmes to highlight the above demands:


a) Candle Light March on Campus, Arts Faculty to VC Office, 27 April, 5 pm and b) Gherao of the VC’s Office in the beginning of May (date to be finalized by the Office Bearers)

The DUTA Executive noted that the most pressing issue at hand is the resolution of the roster issue (the continuation of the 200 point reservation roster) and immediate starting of appointments/ absorption and regularization so that the current round of advertisements do not lapse.


The DUTA Executive decided to call upon teachers to Boycott Evaluation and appeals to Staff Associations to hold meetings by 3 May and invite DUTA representatives for greater and effective mobilization.

We shall fight, we shall win.

In solidarity