DUTA Press Release, 16 July 2014

                                    

The DUTA takes strong note of the high-handed manner in which the DU Administration is riding roughshod over due processes in restructuring the courses for the 2013 batch of FYUP students. The VC has not called a meeting of the Academic Council despite the fact that 12 AC members had requisitioned a meeting on 5 July on the issue of restructuring courses for the 2013 batch. In fact the process should have been initiated in the AC meeting of 28 June. By delaying and not following the proper procedure, the VC wants to deliberately engineer crisis and chaos in the University.

Today the Registrar’s Office forwarded a letter from the Dean of Colleges and part of the recommendations of the Committees of Courses (CoCs) of various departments. The courses framed by  the CoCs of several Departments including History, Philosophy, MILLS and GRS were not accepted on the pretext that these Departments had not stuck to the FYUP DC1 and DC2 papers, but had included papers from the 3-year undergraduate syllabus. Instead of respecting the academic recommendations of the CoCs, and ensuring that the meetings of the Faculties and the Academic Council were held by now to consider these recommendations, the Administration has intervened directly against the decisions of some CoCs for including pre-FYUP papers. This further adds to the long string of illegalities committed by thisadministration during its tenure. The UGC Standing Committee had not recommended any restrictions in the choice of papers. Now there are just a few days before the University opens and the University has still not announced any schedule for meetings of the Faculties, the Academic Council and the Executive Council. The DUTA demands that statutory processes be upheld and meetings are announced immediately.

It is becoming clear to all that by not allowing clarity on the matter, the VC is also trying to create roadblocks for appointment of ad hoc teachers on time. More than 4500 teachers are working on ad hoc basis in DU and their timely reappointment hangs in the balance. The DUTA appeals to Principals and teachers to rise to the occasion and ensure that the interests of ad hoc teachers are protected.

The DUTA appeals to teachers and members of the statutory bodies to record their opposition on these illegalities. The DUTA reiterates its demand that the Visitor institute an enquiry against the Vice-Chancellor and his team encompassing all his illegalities and his misgovernance. The University must be freed of this administration as soon as possible.
An Emergent DUTA Executive will be held tomorrow, 17 July 2014 at 3 pm in the DUTA Office to discuss this issue.

NANDITA NARAIN President, DUTA

HARISH KHANNA Secretary, DUTA

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