On Monday, 9 September, 2019, the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) corresponded to the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal regarding the issuance of salaries for the employees of the 28 colleges that are either fully or partially funded by the Delhi government.
The complaint is lodged with regard to the payment of due salaries owing to the stoppage of grants by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) relaxation. Where the formation of governing bodies prompted a deadlock between the University and the city government, the accusations from both ends claim to have delayed the process further.
Although, earlier in June Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia directed the Education Secretary, Sandeep Kumar to ensure the release of funds for three months to the 28 colleges, the employees of the 28 partially or fully funded colleges, under the Delhi government are constantly being subjected to delayed payments of salaries and other remunerations due to prolonged stoppage of grants by the AAP dispensation, said according to a letter by DUTA.
“You would agree that this action of denial of salaries to the teaching and non-teaching staff of these colleges amounts to a violation of basic human rights. Your reasons, whatsoever they may be, do not warrant such an assault on the living conditions of the employees,” it said.
It further quoted, “The government must also immediately release funds for the additional posts that are to be created for the teaching and non-teaching staff in the wake of the EWS reservations. ”
With these delays affecting the teachers of the institution directly, the futility in their responses have apparently affected the students of the varsity as well.
The necessary increment in the number of students across all disciplines under EWS have resuscitated all the aforementioned colleges with additional funds for salaries and infrastructural development to add for the proper functioning of the colleges with regard to academic and administrative responsibilities, says the association. While, some of the new courses that are incepted after receiving the necessary approvals designated in the administration, most of them are devoid of funds and appointment of teachers required for continuation of these courses.
“They (DU) are not forming governing bodies. They are deliberately not doing it because they want to do wrong appointments. They should bring governing bodies and let those bodies decide. How can we give funds when they are not bringing governing bodies?” says Deputy CM Manish Sisodia in response to this issue.
Where the University claims to have formed a committee to look into the issue, it has further speculated the matter and has stated some names to the government concerning the issue.
Where the twelve colleges that are fully-funded by the Delhi government includes Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education & Sports Science, Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, Shaheed Raj Guru College, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar College, Acharya Narendra Dev College, Bhagini Nivedita College, Keshav Maha Vidyalaya, Maharaja Agrasen College, Aditi Mahavidyalaya, Mahirishi Balmiki College of Education and Bhaskara Charya College of Applied Science
The sixteen partially-funded colleges are namely, Shivaji College, Motilal Nehru CollegeLaxmi Bai College, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, Maitreyi College, SPM College for Women, Satyawati College, Vivekananda College, Rajdhani College, Kamala Nehru College, Gargi College, Swami Shardhanand College, Kalindi College, Bharti College, Sri Aurobindo College, and Delhi College of Arts and Commerce.
It is however paradoxical that in a recent tweet by the Delhi CM on the account of Teachers’ Day, he claims to be indebted to the teachers for their contribution in building the society, the DUTA probe sends his words otherwise.
Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives
Faizan Salik
