Campus Central

UGC Meeting on Autonomy Dropped Over DUTA Protest

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On 24 May, Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) held a protest outside University Grants Commission (UGC) office against the meeting to decide autonomy for St. Stephen’s College and Hindu College. Owing to the protests, UGC dropped the meeting altogether.

DUTA issues press release

Senior UGC Officials informed the DUTA President today morning that the item on granting autonomy to St. Stephen’s and Hindu College has been dropped from the agenda of the meeting”, DUTA issued in its press release. It added, that “this deferral is, however, no guarantee against the Government’s plan to privatise its premier public-funded higher educational institutions.” Yet, DUTA breathes a sigh of relief with this victory. 

DUTA re-affirmed its emphasis on the varsity’s founding act and the autonomy ascribed in it. It further asserted the unwanted result of “forcing [UGC’s] its new autonomy schemes”; commercialising education and making it exclusionary.

Demands raised by DUTA

Primarily, DUTA demands that autonomy is not forced on colleges or DU. On the other hand, many other issues have also been raised. The immediate withdrawal and reconsideration of the reservation roster, issued by the UGC on 5 March, is one amongst them. DUTA has demanded a reformulation of the said roster by standardising appointments by counting subject-wise departments (and not whole institutions) as units. 

The DUTA demands withdrawal of retrograde recommendations of the 7th Pay Revision notification and the UGC draft regulations. We demand that the Revision of pension and other allowances be announced without further delay.” stated the press release.

Further actions expected

Rajib Ray, DUTA President, affirmed the faith in their fight and reiterated their decision to boycott semester-end evaluation until further notice. A Satyagraha: Mass Hunger Strike has also been organised on Wednesday, 30 May 2018 at Mandi House. DUTA will also write to teachers’ and students’ unions of other universities.

Feature Image Credits: Abha Dev Habib

Image Credits: DUTA

Raabiya

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