DUTA Letter to VC, 19.05.2018

DUTA Letter to VC, 19.05.2018






Prof. Yogesh Kumar Tyagi 
Vice Chancellor
University of Delhi
Delhi 110007


19 May 2018


Subject: DUTA Appeal


Dear Prof. Tyagi,


The DUTA has received a request from the Dean, Examinations to review the call of Evaluation Boycott in students’ interest. We wish to reiterate that the DUTA has been compelled to adopt this mode of protest as a last resort because of the complete apathy of the authorities towards teachers grievances and issues and disregard of teachers’ feedback on policy matters by the Government. 
Teachers have been agitating for months now against the policy assault in the form of drive to impose “autonomous” status on Colleges and on the University, subversion of the Reservation Policy through the 5 March 2018 UGC Notification, the complete halt on appointments, promotions and pensions, and the retrograde recommendations of the MHRD and the UGC on teachers’ service conditions. The DUTA has held innumerable protest actions to draw attention to these issues, but there has been no effort to even start a dialogue with us. Instead, far-reaching decisions are being taken in utter disregard of teacher’s concerns. 


Now there are reports that the UGC Full Commission meeting scheduled on 24 May 2018 will consider grant of autonomous status to St Stephen’s College. You are aware that fragmentation and privatisation of Delhi University and its colleges will completely destroy this public-funded institution. Lakhs of students across the country apply for admissions in Colleges for undergraduate courses as DU offers affordable quality education. Turning the best colleges into teaching shops will redefine Delhi University on one hand and simultaneously push a large section of students outside the ambit of higher education. We have written to the UGC and the MHRD, demanding that the opinion of stakeholders be honoured and any advancement on the matter should be put on hold for a wider consultation and deliberation. But the University should also send teachers’ feedback to the UGC and MHRD on this fundamental restructuring through the Statutory Bodies of the University.


The 5 March 2018 UGC Notification to revise the Roster for teaching posts based on department/subject has completely stalled the appointment process which had begun after so many years. You are also aware that it will result in displacement of large numbers of adhoc teachers in the month of July. We have been demanding that the MHRD/UGC withdraw the Notification. We are also shocked that the University is doing nothing in this regard despite the High Court order laying down a timeline for appointments. The fact that advertisements may lapse the second time should surely be a matter of grave concern for you too.


Why is it that the University is making no effort to address the denial of promotions to teachers for the last ten years? Counting of Past Services has to surely be seen as ensuring that those who have worked get their due. Yet we see no effort on your part to emphasise this and to take urgent steps for its speedy and positive resolution. We wish to express our dismay that many colleagues have received letters from the administration stating that their past services cannot be counted towards promotions even without any formal decision on the matter. This is also in violation of the Ordinances on MPS 1998/CAS 2010.


No steps have been taken to find a resolution to the issue of pensions for retired teachers who have spent their entire lives serving the university. No progress in release of pension has been made even in those cases that are not subjudice, namely category 3 as well as the ‘options’ category who are in GPF with pension accounts/numbers for the last twenty years.


You will agree that teachers define the institutions and Delhi University has earned its reputation and position through the hard work of generations of teachers. Lack of appointments and promotions have pushed many teachers to leave colleges/departments for better prospects elsewhere. While the teachers have done their best to deliver despite demoralisation and despair,  the continuous disregard of teachers’ problems is bound to damage the University. 


We once again appeal to you to meet the DUTA Office Bearers on an urgent basis so that the issues concerning teachers can be speedily resolved. The DUTA will decide the future course of action through its Extended DUTA Executive meeting scheduled for 22 May and the General Body Meeting scheduled for 23 May 2018.  


With regards,




Yours sincerely,

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