DUTA Letter to Staff Associations, 04.01.2019

To
The President/ Secretary
Staff Associations

4 January 2019

Dear Colleagues,

You may be aware that the DUTA Executive, in its meeting held yesterday, has called for a University Shut Down on 8 and 9 January 2019 to express the collective anger of the teachers against the manner in which the Vice-Chancellor has completely abdicated his responsibility as head of the institution and has become instrumental in the complete administrative paralysis and subversion of the statutory bodies in the University. The DUTA unequivocally condemned the recalcitrant attitude of the VC for stubbornly refusing to place the report of his own committee set up to facilitate the adoption of the UGC Regulations. The DUTA also condemned the insensitive behavior of the University Administration in refusing to allow blankets, medicines and food for the members staging the overnight sit-in.

The DUTA demands that the Vice-Chancellor convenes a meeting of the Academic Council to table the report of Regulations Committee  and effect the appropriate amendments to the relevant Ordinances. The DUTA Executive also discussed the inexplicable delay in promotions, the resolution of the issue of counting of past service and condemned the complete absence of any sincerity on the part of the University administration in giving teachers their rightful due. The DUTA Executive felt that the Vice-Chancellor has no moral responsibility to continue as he is not interested in responding to the teachers’ concerns and demands his removal.

The DUTA Executive also discussed the root of the problem that lies in the orders given by the MHRD/UGC in its letters dated 3.3.2016, 13.1.2017 and 16.10.2018 which constitute an attack on the autonomy of the university and its statutory bodies. The DUTA demands the unconditional withdrawal of these letters so that Universities can frame their Ordinances in accordance with their specificities.

The DUTA Executive also expressed its grave concern about the failure of the Government in bringing an Ordinance on the reservation roster issue to ensure that the University/ College is treated as a unit. The thousands of ad-hoc and temporary teachers must be regularized/ absorbed through a one-time Regulation. The DUTA Executive demanded the immediate release of pension to retired employees and the withdrawal of the SLP on the pension issue. The DUTA Executive also demanded from the MHRD the immediate release of allowances and revised pensions as per the 7th Pay Revision, the removal of the negative clauses of the UGC Regulations 2018 and the resolution of anomalies including stepping-up. The DUTA Executive also recognized the aggressive manner in which the MHRD is pushing universities towards commercialization through policy measures such as the Tripartite MoU and HEFA that will escalate fees and downgrade quality. At the same time, it is deliberately downgrading the working and service conditions of teachers leading to dismantling of public-funded education in the country.

The DUTA Executive has decided for a University Shut Down on 8th January 2019 to focus on our demands at the level of the MHRD and DUTA teams will move go to different colleges to mobilise teachers to ensure a complete shut-down.

The University Shut-Down on 9th January will be accompanied by a Dharna at Gate No. 1 from 11 am to 2 pm to focus on the University level issues and to force the Vice-Chancellor to act.

You are requested to disseminate this information amongst your colleagues, mobilise teachers to participate in the complete shut-down and join the action programme on 9th January in large numbers.

Thanking you,
In solidarity,