DUTA Press Release, 06.06.2016

Thousands of teachers thronged the UGC today for a day-long Protest against the controversial Gazette Notification on Workload and API, even as the DUTA leadership met the UGC Chairperson for an official discussion on these draconian amendments that have been agitating the teaching community. Teachers banged steel plates in a symbolic gesture to make the UGC and the Government hear their anguish and realise the anti-teacher implications of the Gazette Notification the amendments which threaten to make 50% existing faculty in DU surplus and deny due promotions to long-serving teachers. This ‘Khaali Thaali’ Protest was also joined by representatives from AIFUCTO, Jamia Teachers Association, JNUTA, IGNOUTA (constituents of the FEDCUTA), representatives of teachers’ organizations from Rajasthan, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh (Meerut, Aligarh, Agra, Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Bundelkhand)  Students’ unions like JNUSU and organisations like AIDSO, AISA, AISF, Disha, CYSS, KYS,  NSUI, PACHAAS and SFI also joined in solidarity. The Chief Whip of the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha, Mr. Deepender Hooda promised to take the issues up through a calling attention motion. Left Parties’ MPs D. Raja and Nilotpal Basu and Congress leader Kiran Walia also joined the protesters to demand the immediate withdrawal of the Notification, restoration of Tutorials and Practicals in the workload and scrapping of the API.

Meanwhile, as directed by the MHRD, the UGC Chief Prof. Ved Prakash and his team of officials met representatives of over 15 associations including the DUTA, AIFUCTO and FEDCUTA for consultations on the amendments pertaining to Workload and API. All the representatives unanimously demanded restoration of Tutorials and Practicals at par with Lectures in the Direct Teaching Hours (basis of workload) the complete scrapping of PBAS based on API for promotions. The teacher representatives also pointed out that more than 2 lakh young teachers will be affected by these Amendments. Over 60% of these belong to SC, ST, and OBC categories. A large fraction of these are women. Research scholars in universities facing a bleak future with no job prospects are also agitated. Around 50% of teaching jobs are lying vacant and teachers are working on adhoc and contract basis. Any slash in teaching jobs will further dilute the quality of education imparted at State and Central Universities.

Though the consultations went on for more than 5 hours, it is extremely unfortunate that the UGC Chairperson was not willing to concede anything more than what the MHRD had already stated in its Press Release and give an assurance to the DUTA that tutorials and practicals would be part of the direct teaching hours. The UGC Chairperson was also unwilling to give any assurance on the PBAS/ API, requesting for time to give a reply.

The DUTA will escalate its movement, which is currently being joined by increasing numbers of teachers and students from other universities. The Government should realize, with some sense of urgency and responsibility, the sense of frustration and betrayal that the teaching community is suffering, as a result of these draconian measures that will affect the quality and equity in education as well as render lakhs of teachers across the country jobless. The DUTA will decide its future protest action in tomorrow’s GBM (10.30 a.m., Khalsa College). Given the current scenario of inaction and non-committal responses from the Government, the teachers’ anger is surging and the DUTA may be forced to consider drastic measures like the boycott of the admissions process.