DUTA Letter to MHRD: 17.04.2019

To
Sh. Prakash Javadekar
Hon’ble Minister, Human Resources Development
Shastri Bhavan
New Delhi – 110001

Date: 17.04.2019

Sub: Request for the release of Second Tranche of teaching posts to Delhi University Colleges towards OBC Expansion on urgent basis and other issues related to the expansion towards EWSs reservation

Dear Shri. Javadekar,

As you are aware, the Central Educational Institutions (CEIs) have been instructed to provide reservation to Economically Weaker Sections (EWSs) in admission starting from academic session 2019-20 and in the recruitment against teaching and non-teaching posts.

The UGC letter dated 18.01.2019 and the MHRD letter of 23.01.2019 required CEIs to submit estimates of additional requirement of teaching and non-teaching staff, infrastructure and scholarships for the 25 % additional student intake by 2020-21 in order to implement 10% EWS reservation without reducing the number and the percentage of reservations provided for SC/ST/OBC. As the new academic session is about to commence in less than 3 months’ time, we wish to draw your attention to issues which need immediate resolution for smooth implementation of EWSs reservation at all levels and expansion of CEIs on account of it.

The OBC Expansion has remained incomplete in DU colleges. When the OBC Reservation for students was implemented in 2007, Delhi University and its colleges were promised additional teaching posts keeping in mind the increase in number of students. The MHRD/UGC notified the release of these additional posts in two installments. At Delhi University, the OBC Expansion in terms of increase in student intake was completed by 2010. While the University and colleges received the first tranche, we have been endlessly awaiting the delivery of the second tranche of teaching posts. We have written to both MHRD/UGC several times asking for this second tranche of teaching posts.  For past several years, colleges have been forced to work with fewer number of teachers than the requisite. Adverse student-teacher ratio has resulted in over-crowded class rooms and labs and teaching hours over and above 14hrs/ 16hrs for Associate Professor/Assistant Professor as mandated by the UGC Regulations for maintenance of minimum standards.

Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) implemented in 2015 without sanction of additional posts as required by its framework has only deepened the crisis for colleges. As a result of severe shortage of teaching staff, colleges are unable to offer any choice to students.

It is important that the UGC releases the second tranche of posts immediately so that the OBC Expansion can be completed before the implementation of yet another expansion. It is important that additional teaching and non-teaching posts towards OBC Expansion are filled on priority basis. It is also important that the UGC sanctions additional posts required for the proper implementation of CBCS framework so that colleges are able to offer choices to students.

With over 60% students from socially and economically backward sections, it is important that CEIs have student-teacher ratio which enables them to cater to needs of a diverse population and therefore, make reservation policy meaningful. The expansion of CEIs on the account of EWS reservation in admissions, therefore, should be accompanied by commensurate expansion of institutions in terms of teaching and non-teaching staff and infrastructure. This is imperative to maintain quality of teaching-learning processes for all students. You would agree that expansion of CEIs cannot come at the expense of their performance. We urge that grants for additional infrastructure and teaching and non-teaching posts necessary for the expansion be announced at the earliest so that institutions prepare themselves for completing expansion by 2020-21.

Further, implementation of EWSs reservation in teaching post will require Universities and Colleges across the country to recast their rosters. More than 4500 teaching posts are lying vacant in the University of Delhi with teachers working on ad-hoc basis against these posts. Most of these teachers have been working for many years without any fault of theirs as barring few cases, here and there, permanent interviews have not been held in the University of Delhi for substantial period of time. Implementation of EWSs reservation will result in the displacement of ad-hoc teachers across DU colleges. Immediate release of second tranche posts will help mitigate their hardship by providing them opportunity to be accommodated against these additional posts

We once again urge you to ensure release of second tranche posts to DU colleges towards OBC Expansion on priority basis. We also request release of grants for commensurate expansion of infrastructure and teaching and non-teaching staff on the account of expansion of CEIs for the implementation of EWSs reservation.

With warm regards,