DUTA Press Release, 9.1.2020

The teachers of Delhi University gathered today outside the Delhi Vidhan Sabha to protest delay by the Delhi Government in the release of funds  to the twelve 100% Delhi Government funded DU colleges.

The 25% EWS expansion in the student strength was implemented  in DU starting from this academic year (2019-2020). In view of the extension of reservation to EWSs and consequent increase in intake of students, it is crucial that funds are released for additional teaching and non-teaching posts and for infrastructure requirements.

These additional posts are also essential to mitigate crisis for a large number of teachers working on ad-hoc basis who are about to face loss of jobs as 10% of teaching posts have been reserved for EWS category now. Appointments on permanent basis have hardly been made in last 10 years and teachers have been working in DU colleges on ad-hoc/temporary basis against these substantive posts. Further, several colleges started new courses after obtaining the necessary approvals. However, teaching posts have not been released despite several reminders to the Delhi Government.

Student-teacher ratio plays a crucial role in determining quality of education imparted by institutions, more so when student population is so diverse. Today a large number of students (over 60%) in DU colleges come from marginalized sections. Mentoring is a very important aspect of education. Overcrowded classrooms and labs deny the chance of meaningful education to student population which has diverse needs. The delay in the sanction of additional teaching posts is adversely affecting teaching learning process in these units.

The DUTA also demanded that the salaries, reimbursements and arrears due to employees on account of the 7th Pay Revision are paid without any further delay.

Tomorrow the DUTA will take protest to the doors of MHRD once again as reliefs promised in the Record of Discussion of 5 December are yet to be implemented.