DUTA PRESS RELEASE, 7 November 2017

Hundreds of teachers gathered today at the VC’s Office to express their anguish about the complete break-down of governance whereby the University seems to be in a limbo. Among the issues that were highlighted were the following:

1. More than a year has passed and the 28 DU colleges aided/ maintained by the Delhi Government await formation of Governing Bodies. While the Delhi Government has taken a tough stand and has decided to freeze grants, the University seems to be oblivious to the consequences this will have for the teachers, karmacharis and students of these colleges and seems unwilling to find a way to resolve the matter. The DUTA has appealed to both the Delhi Government and the University to end this stand-off and quickly resolve the issue so that the process of appointments of teachers and principals in these colleges is not derailed.

2. Teachers expressed their distress at the slow pace of appointments despite the High Court deadlines. The anxiety amongst the ad-hoc teachers who have served the university for long years is palpable and the DUTA demands that the University immediately announces the schedule of the interviews after speedily completing the screening process. Speakers at the dharna also reiterated that the University must ensure regularisation/ absorption of long serving ad-hoc and all temporary teachers.

3. The teachers of Delhi University are facing a situation of zero promotions because of the retrospective implementation of API system and this causes serious demotivation which is not healthy for any institution. Teachers who joined the dharna highlighted the way in which this has affected their career progression and urged the university to find ways to resolve the matter.

4. Last but not least, speakers pointed out that the University is unfairly delaying the release of pension to various categories of pensioners, petitioners as well as non-petitioners. This harassment and torture of senior teachers by depriving them of their basic livelihood due to them is not acceptable and the university must act on it.

The DUTA has submitted a memorandum to the VC on the above issues and hopes that good sense prevails on him to act decisively in the benefit of the teaching community and the University.