DUTA Press Release: 6 March 2014

The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) condemns all the retrogressive decisions that were passed in the Executive Council to favour the Vice Chancellor’s personal ambitions and shield him from the flak that he has been receiving, from teachers and students, on account of his destructive academic and administrative decisions. The DUTA declares this day as a Black Day in the history of the University as democracy has been held ransom to the Vice Chancellor’s dictatorial agenda.

By allowing the VC to seek a second term in a situation where he has the right to nominate the majority members in the Search Committee for the next incumbent, the EC has made a mockery of the wisdom contained in the DU Statutes. It has ensured that the Statute 11 F (4) which allows him to nominate two out of the total three members of the Search Committee now contradicts the amended Statute 11 F (1) which enables him to seek a second term. Barring exceptions, EC members were complacent about this scandalous and obvious conflict of interest and the VC’s will prevailed against 4 dissents.

On the other hand, the EC also allowed the proposal to impose a Code of Conduct on teachers to go through. The discussion was largely directed against the anti-FYUP movement of students and teachers and it was argued that such a Code would be an effective instrument against teachers who continue to vocally criticize the administration. The accompanying proposal to vest all authority for initiating all action against teachers found guilty of ‘misconduct’, with the VC also met with majority approval despite the objections raised by the teachers’ representatives and the Chancellor’s Nominee, Sh. Javid Choudhury. The DUTA has made its stand clear against the University’s sinister move to impose the UGC’s Code of Professional Ethics as a Code of Conduct that allows the VC to unilaterally target dissenting teachers. When EC member Abha Dev Habib asked the Vice Chancellor under which heads the expenditure was incurred towards Antardhvani, purchase of laptops for FYUP students and the running of the Gyanoday Express, he refused to answer and instead, threatened her with disciplinary inquiry. The DUTA slams this attempt to hide behind disproportionate powers and threaten teachers who are demanding transparency and accountability in the functioning of a public institution.

The DUTA reiterates its opposition to the draconian Code of Conduct as such a code militates against the spirit of democracy and liberalism which are the necessary bases of the functioning of a university.

NANDITA NARAIN President, DUTA

HARISH KHANNA Secretary, DUTA

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