DUTA Press Release, 16 October 2019

Teachers of Delhi University joined the Strike call given by DUTA and participated in large numbers along with students in the Shiksha-Shikshak Bachao Rally from Mandi House to Parliament Street against National Education Policy (NEP) 2019 as the Government prepares to table it in the Winter Session of the Parliament.

The DUTA Rally was addressed by Kavita Krishnan, Member, Polit Bureau, CPI(ML), Mahabal Mishra, former MP, Lok Sabha and MLA (Congress) and Nilotpal Basu, former MP, Rajya Sabha (CPI (M)) who expressed solidarity with the teachers and students and warned the Government against attack on public funded higher education. Students’ organizations such as AISA. CYSS, KYS, SFI and Youth for Social Justice also participated in the Rally.

Teachers across the country have been vehemently protesting against the pernicious provisions included as policy matters in the Draft National Education Policy 2019 as they will lead to privatization and commercialization of public funded higher education. Adverse service conditions including contractualisation, tenure track appointments, longer probation period and differential pay system to be decided by Board of Governors will not only deepen the crisis of shortage of qualified teachers but also make the teaching profession unattractive. The withdrawal of public funding to HEIs in the name of “self-reliance” and thrust on resource generation will lead to massive increase in fees, pushing out large sections of students from higher education. The Draft NEP 2019 recommends fragmentation of federal universities through creation of autonomous units to be governed by Board of Governors that will have complete freedom to decide on academic and service conditions..

One of the key demands of the DUTA is a one-time Regulation for Absorption of serving ad-hoc and temporary teachers. Large numbers of teachers in DU have been working on ad-hoc capacity against substantive posts. Permanent appointments have not taken place for one reason or the other and these teachers are denied their basic rights to a dignified life. The DUTA has been demanding a one-time Regulation/Ordinance for their Absorption.

Teachers of Delhi University are also exercised about the fact that promotions have not taken place for nearly a decade and thousands of teachers have been denied career advancement, the issue of illegal financial recoveries on one pretext or the other, the matter of stepping-up that both Delhi University and the Government have ignored. Teachers also raised the demand for the notification of the corrected Concordance tables for revision of pension and release of arrears for retired teachers The DUTA also demanded that the MHRD withdraws its direction to DU to file SLPs against two categories of litigants on the pension (CPF to GPF) cases.

Students and teachers also protested inadequate grants released to DU for additional posts under EWS Expansion and replacement of grants by loan through HEFA for infrastructure development.

The DUTA also demanded the removal of the current Vice Chancellor, Professor Yogesh Tyagi for causing the complete collapse of academic and administrative functioning of the University. The DUTA has already submitted a White Paper to the Visitor and to the MHRD.

The DUTA will hold College-wise action progranmmes and campaign amongst students and the general public to mobilize opinion against the Draft National Education Policy 2019 and intensify its movement for one-time Regulation for Absorption.

Rajib Ray President, DUTA Rajinder Singh Secretary, DUTA