Even as hundreds of teachers and students gathered under the DUTA’s umbrella to protest against the CBCS at the University Main Gate today, the DU Executive Council was forced to pass the new restructuring without discussion. DUTA condemns the VC’s tyrannical and indefensible refusal to allow the supreme decision-making body of the University to apply its mind and deliberate over the feasibility of such an enormous change. Both the elected teachers’ representatives, Dr. A. K. Bhagi and Dr. Abha Dev Habib fought valiantly against this high-handedness and repeatedly appealed to the VC to adopt a circumspect stance on the matter. Three EC members from the University Court, Mr. Rajesh Gogna, Mr. Ajay Kumar and Mr. J. L. Gupta also joined the teachers’ representatives to demand proper discussion and to put the decision on CBCS on hold till it could be satisfactorily established that DU was prepared for such a change. Their voices also went unheard. It is also unfortunate that the VC insisted on passing CBCS in the absence of the Visitor’s Nominee Mr. Naveen Chawla and the Chancellor’s Nominee Mr. Javid Chowdhary who were both unable to attend the meeting due to personal problems.
Even as the meeting was on, news came that the Political Science Dept. of DU had rejected the CBCS in the General Body Meeting of its teachers. It may be recalled that the History Department and majority of teachers in the Commerce Department had also rejected the CBCS. Yet, the VC insisted that the Executive Council pass the CBCS, thus paving the way for its utterly unwise implementation from the coming Academic Session in July 2015. The matter was not even allowed to be put to vote, even though the five elected members sought to move a resolution(see attachment). Ultimately all the five members mentioned above officially dissented against the decision. Such a decision marks yet another Black day in the history of DU and the tumultuous tenure of this Vice-Chancellor.
The DUTA views the EC’s decision to pass the CBCS as hasty and unwarranted. It is not representative of the general mood of teachers and students in Delhi University. No steps have been taken to prepare for the restructuring. Implementation of the CBCS will throw DU into yet another phase of chaos and the students will be the worst sufferers. It is tragic that the MHRD and UGC have allowed the DU VC to trample on every conceivable sense of academic and administrative propriety to push this University a step further in his bid to destroy it. DUTA will continue to oppose the undemocratic imposition of CBCS and will join the FEDCUTA and AIFUCTO in a Dharna against it on 19 June. It will also intensify its joint struggle with various students’ organisations in the University campus, in the coming days. It appeals to the government to pay heed to voices of sanity and force the VC to pull back such a disastrous decision. By allowing him to continue on this destructive course, the Government will be courting alienation and anger of thousands of students and teachers.
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