DUTA Press Release: 20 November 2018

Teachers participated wholeheartedly in a Dharna at the Arts Faculty Gate to draw attention to the host of pending issues that remain unresolved at the university level due to the gross negligence and inaction by the University Administration. This unprecedented situation in Delhi University whereby no solution seems to be sight for the thousands of teachers who are working under extremely precarious conditions of employment, promotions are pending for long years, the issue of the counting of past service remains unresolved, pensioners are facing a dire situation is completely unacceptable. The insensitive attitude of the University Administration towards the plight of all sections of teachers is condemnable. Teachers are determined to make the authorities see sense that this is only leading to widespread demoralization amongst teachers who have been and will remain committed to their students.

Speakers at the dharna also highlighted the Vice-Chancellor’s failure to convene regular meetings of statutory bodies which is causing further delay in resolving many issues. The UGC Regulations of 2018 need to be adopted by the University so that promotion cases can be processed. Speakers also highlighted the grave situation facing retired teachers, denied of their livelihood after having served the university for long years. The demand for maternity/ paternity leave for ad-hoc teachers must be met immediately to alleviate the hardships faced by our young colleagues.

The DUTA also highlighted the issue of the freeze on appointments as the Government is yet to fulfill its promise of bringing in an Ordinance to restore the 200 point Reservation Roster taking the University/College as a unit and facilitate the absorption/ regularization and permanent appointment of teachers. The DUTA demanded the immediate release of revised allowances and pensions to teachers and resolution of cases of stepping up. The teachers of Delhi University, though a beleaguered lot, are committed to continue their struggle against the policy attacks on higher education, like the Tripartite MoU and HEFA, among others, and not allow the destruction of public funded higher educational institutions like Delhi University.