DUTA Letter to Staff Associations: 11.10.2019

To                 

Office Bearers

Staff Association                                                               
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11 October 2019

Dear colleagues,

We thank Staff Associations for making Candle Light Vigil at Mandi House of 1 October and Halla Bol Rally in DU a success.

Even though the Draft NEP 2019 has not been tabled in Parliament, recent news that institutions such as the IITs have already passed certain retrograde provisions including a steep increase in fees, tenure track for teachers and longer probation periods show that the Government is hell-bent on pushing through its pernicious recommendations. Instead of strengthening existing public funded state and central universities through recruitment of teachers and creation of infrastructure, public-funding itself stands dismantled through the Draft NEP. For universities with a federal structure like ours, what is prescribed is a systematic dismantling of the same by way of autonomous institutions to be governed by private bodies with little or no control. The DUTA has sent its feedback to the Government raising concerns about the effect of commercialization on the marginalized and deprived sections of society. It is important that we intensify our movement for the withdrawal of NEP 2019.

With ever changing service conditions and push towards contractualisation, it is extremely important that we intensify our movement for a One-Time Regulation for the absorption of serving temporary and ad-hoc teachers who have borne the brunt of both ill-conceived reforms as well as apathy on the part of the University administration and the Government.

Further, we have to build pressure for the withdrawal of the 28 August 2019 DU circular which is extremely detrimental for the teaching-learning process and has started negatively impacting colleges and Departments.

Similarly, teachers in Delhi University have been denied promotion for many years, partly due to the frequent and ill-conceived changes in the Career Advancement Schemes and partly due to the apathy of the administration.

Other issues such as the requirements for posts and infrastructure in the wake of the implementation of reservation for EWSs, service conditions of retired and serving teachers, illegal recoveries, the demand for the roll-back of the NPS and restoration of the Old Pension Scheme will also be highlighted through the ongoing movement.

We request you to organise Staff Association meetings in your college to discuss ongoing movement and to send suggestions for intensification.

Please mobilise for following programmes and ensure teacher-student participation.

1) Strike and Shiksha Shikshak Bachao Rally on Wednesday, 16 October 2019 at 11 am from Mandi House to Parliament Street. Teachers will observe total Shut Down and participate in the Rally. Staff Associations are requested to carry college banners . DUTA will also reach out to other teachers’ and students’ unions and organisations, DUCKU and leaders of political parties for their support and participation.

2) 22-23-24 October, College Dharnas This is to mobilise teachers and students. Staff Associations will decide the format best suitable for them, which may include postering, public meetings and human chain outside college gates.

Please find posters of these programmes attached, please share and circulate them widely amongst teachers and students.

Regards

Rajib Ray President, DUTA Rajinder Singh Secretary, DUTA