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Vice Chancellor Internship Scheme Released for Summer 2026

By DU Beat April 23, 2026

Out of 7,000 applicants last year, only around 100 were selected for the Vice Chancellor Internship Scheme. This internship offers students a chance to work closely with the major departments at the University of Delhi.

The Vice Chancellor Internship Scheme (VCIS) for students of University of Delhi was recently announced for the Summer of the upcoming 2026-27 academic year. Under the leadership of the current Vice Chancellor, Yogesh Singh, this scheme hires nearly a hundred interns across all courses to work with university administration.

The programme is open to “all regular bonafide students of University of Delhi” currently enrolled in any course across the university, provided they meet specific eligibility criteria. Applicants are required to submit a Letter of Recommendation (LOR) signed and stamped by the college authorities on or after 13th April. Final-year students appearing for end-semester examinations are not considered eligible for the scheme. Further, students can only avail of this opportunity once during their time at the university.

Official Internship Application Call for VCIS

The internship is offered in two formats: a regular part-time internship during the academic session and a summer internship during the June to July break. Interns are expected to commit approximately 15–20 hours per week. The scheme is paid, with regular interns receiving ₹5,000 per month, while summer interns will receive ₹11,576 this year. The stipend is subject to an annual increment of 5 percent.

The selection process has been highly competitive over the years. In the previous year, over 7,000 students applied, out of which around 100 were selected and placed across various university offices and departments. These include the Vice Chancellor’s Office, Pro Vice Chancellor’s Office, Deans’ Offices, School of Open Learning (SOL), Department Labs, Equal Opportunity Cell, and the Examination Department. For the current cycle (as of 22 April 2026), approximately 2,000 students were shortlisted and invited for the next stage of selection. These shortlisted candidates were called to the Multipurpose Hall at the DU Sports Complex over four days, from 13 to 16 April, for a General Discussion.

Applications to the scheme remain valid for six months, allowing flexibility in consideration for different internship cycles. The primary objective of VCIS is to equip students with administrative, organizational, and professional skills by exposing them to the internal functioning of a large public university. Interns are meant to gain insight into governance, policy implementation, and institutional processes, which can be beneficial for careers in public administration, academia, and related fields.

Upon successful completion, interns are awarded an official experience letter, enhancing professional profiles. The scheme serves as a sort of internal engagement system, meant to make university administration familiar.

Currently, the Vice Chancellor Internship Scheme for the Summer of 2026 is open for the two month period of June to July with the final application date as 27th of April.

Image Credits: Dean Students’ Welfare Official Website

Anjali Paruvvu

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Protest Sparks in Delhi University Following Vice Chancellor’s Speech

By DU Beat October 9, 2025

DU students led out a demonstration on Monday in response to the recent assertion made by the Vice Chancellor in his YouTube video.

Delhi University witnessed a massive protest staged on Monday, 6th October 2025, by the students in response to the statement issued by the Vice Chancellor, Yogesh Singh. The issued remarks included labelling the student movements and activists such as Pinjra Tod and Professor Hany Babu as `Urban Naxal’. This assertion was seen to criminalise and defame the struggle for rights and freedom by the students.

The movement began from Gate No.4 along Chhatra Marg. Slogans and voices were raised in equal amounts, aiming to be heard and to claim campus democracy. The demonstration stayed united despite police deployment and the attempts of the campus guard to break up the group.

The remarks were criticised for being `anti-student’ and `anti-democratic’ by the Secretary of AISA DU, Anjali. She further added that the declaration of the student movements to be anti-national exposes the Vice Chancellor’s ideology to divide the nation and act against our interests. She also thought his remarks to be `contrary to the spirit of academic freedom’.

The students remained unified in the face of the attempts at intimidation made by the authorities and the force used by the guards. It was ensured that the protest took place as planned.

The words of the vice chancellor were seen as his venture to treat the University as his kingdom in the eyes of the students, which led this great wave of rebellion to take place by them.

The video consisting of the statement is from Yogesh Singh’s address at the event `Bharat Manthan 2025: Naxal Mukt Bharat — Ending Red Terror Under Modi’s Leadership’, released on 28th September.

Featured Image source: Instagram

Ananya Agarwal

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DU Vice Chancellor faces heavy backlash following his endorsement of ‘Modi vs Khan Market Gang’

By DU Beat January 19, 2025

Delhi University Vice Chancellor, Yogesh Singh, faced heavy criticism from faculty members on 16 January, 2025, Thursday, after he endorsed Ashok Srivastava’s ‘Modi vs Khan Market Gang.’

On 16 January, 2025, Delhi University Vice Chancellor, Yogesh Singh, appeared to endorse the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the Delhi election scheduled for February. The endorsement came at a book launch held at the Convention Hall of the Vice Chancellor’s office, organised by the Council of Media and Public Policy and Research along with the Silence Foundation in collaboration with Delhi University. The book titled ‘Modi vs Khan Market Gang’ has been authored by Ashok Shrivastava, a news anchor for the state-sponsored public broadcaster, DD News.

Khan Market Gang was notably a strategic attempt to take digs at the opposition in the lead-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. It was in response to the opposition parading “Chowkidar Chor hai” at the incumbency at the time. Khan Market, a double-storey complex amidst bungalows that pay host to lawmakers and civil servants, is often considered the most expensive retail area in India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who doesn’t shy away from letting people know about his humble beginnings, uses this as a political binary against the elites of the Indian socio-political system.

The main objective of the book, according to Srivastava, was to make people in academia aware of the fake narratives that have been thrown around during the incumbent’s tenure. As has been a recurring theme of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) attempts to deal with critics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again was talked about synonymously with India at the event. Those who weren’t uncritical of the government, both the journalists and notably institutes abroad, were called out and mocked subsequently.

Sweden, smaller than most Indian states, decided to establish V-Dem several years ago and deemed India undemocratic ahead of both the 2019 and the 2024 elections. A nation as small as that critiquing us makes sense when you look at the people funding it,”

said Yogesh Singh whilst talking about the various anecdotes Srivastava had used in his book to prove how the “Khan Market Gang” transcends borders and nationalities.

Singh didn’t shy away from his allegiances at a time when the model of conduct was placed in the state. He suggested that the Indians enjoy unprecedented freedom and that the global rankings and indexes are all part of a broader narrative against the prime minister and thus India. India curiously ranks 159 out of 189 countries in the latest edition of the Press Freedom Index. His statement comes at a time when central universities have never been more politicised. The changes brought forth by the National Education Policy (NEP), in the curriculums and the regular seminars and events in colleges that align with the ideological tilts of the government, reflect a growing trend of educational spaces turning into arenas for parroting the broader narrative set forth by the ruling party and a slow departure from the intelligentsia.

The event was attended by the members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad, the youth wing of the BJP, who have themselves been in hot water following the incident where they were seen assaulting students in Ramjas College. Several high-profile BJP leaders were also present at the event where Yogesh Singh was described as the “Chief Organiser” by Ashok Srivastava.

Several Delhi University faculty members condemned the book launch at a time when the model of conduct was in force in Delhi.

Abha Dev Habib, an assistant professor at Miranda House, deemed the event “a political misuse of a publicly funded university” in a conversation with The Print.

I am amazed to find that in a premier public-funded university, where scores of faculty members routinely publish their work on a myriad of issues, including publications in support of the current ruling regime’s policies or critical of the ruling establishment, the university administration has decided to privilege a publication like that of Mr. Ashok Shrivastav, who is an outsider to the university,”

said Maya John, an assistant professor at Jesus and Mary College, in an email to the vice-chancellor.

Prakash Singh, part of both the organisation team and DU’s South campus director, denied that the event was linked to DU and that DU had simply received a “request” for the use of its space for the event, despite Srivastava deeming Singh the “Chief Organiser” of the event.

Featured Images Credits: @UnivofDelhi on X

Yash Raj

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Delhi University Rejects Proposal to Add Manusmriti in the LLB Syllabus Post Severe Backlash

By DU Beat July 12, 2024

The Faculty of Law, DU had proposed to introduce two books on the ancient Hindu text as suggested reading under Unit V – Analytical Positivism of the subject Jurisprudence for first and third year students in the undergraduate course paper in LLB, inviting criticism from the Social Democratic Teachers Front (SDTF) and students. The proposal has been rejected by the V-C after he issued a clarification on Thursday i.e. 11 July, 2024.

The Faculty of Law, DU had proposed to introduce two books on the ancient Hindu text as suggested reading under Unit V – Analytical Positivism of the subject Jurisprudence for first and third year students in the undergraduate course paper in LLB. The said proposal was rejected earlier today, prior to the academic council’s meeting by the Vice – chancellor Yogesh Singh after a controversy erupted over the matter.

Today a proposal by the Faculty of Law was submitted to Delhi University. In the proposal, they had suggested changes in the paper titled Jurisprudence. One of the changes was to include readings on Manusmriti. We have rejected both the suggested readings and the amendments proposed by the Faculty. Nothing of this sort will be taught to students,

stated the V-C in a video message shared by the university.

Medhatithi’s concept of State and Law, the oldest and most popular commentaries on the Manusmriti, had been proposed as a suggested reading under Unit V – Analytical Positivism of the subject Jurisprudence, being taught in the first semester of the three and five-year undergraduate law courses, specifically Manusmriti with the ‘Manubhasya’ of Medhatithi, by GN Jha, and Commentary of Manu Smriti – Smritichandrika, by T Krishnaswami Iyer as the suggested readings.

The proposed integration was subjected to major criticism as the Manusmriti infamously endorses the caste system, gender inequality, outdated social norms and social ostracisation. The move is being criticised on the grounds that it would promote and perpetuate discrimination against marginalised communities, especially when it is integrated in the legal education system at a central university.

In an interview with The Indian Express Professor Anju Vali Tikoo, Dean, aculty of Law, had stated,

The Manusmriti has been introduced in line with the NEP 2020 to introduce Indian perspectives into learning. The unit under which it has been introduced in itself is an analytical unit. It has got nothing to do with Hindus, Hindutva or Hinduism. Hence, in order to bring in more perspective for the student to compare and understand analytical positivism, this step has been taken.

While teachers and students believed that a comparative understanding of the same is not the problem, its integration as a standalone paper is irrelevant and outdated.

Many students and teacher’s bodies had expressed their distaste towards the move. Objecting to the development, the Social Democratic Teachers Front (SDTF), a collective of teachers, wrote to DU Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh on Wednesday, stating that the text Manusmriti propagates a “regressive” outlook towards the rights of women and the marginalised communities and that it is against a “progressive education system”. They demanded that the proposal should be immediately withdrawn and not approved in the academic council’s meeting.

In the letter to the VC, SDTF general secretary S S Barwal and chairperson S K Sagar had stated

Introduction of any section or part of Manusmriti is against the basic structure of our Constitution and principles of Indian Constitution.

Samvardhan Tiwary, a first year student at ILC, Faculty of Law, spoke to DU Beat regarding the development.

DU’s decision to introduce Manusmriti as a part of its law undergrad syllabus, has its own pros and cons. The text can act as a source of origination of law in India, but should not be included as a standalone curriculum in the UG framework. It’s important for the administration to take cognizance of the fact that now the Indian Legal has reached a certain pedestal where the relevance of Manu won’t benefit the students, rather it defeats the purpose of modern jurisprudence. It’s not news that the text has had prejudiced connotations against women in ancient India; it doesn’t serve the purpose of teaching equity and justice in the modern day.

The Delhi University Academic Council was set to hold a meeting today, i.e. Friday, 12 July, 2024 on the proposal to introduce the ancient Indian text as part of its undergraduate law courses, however, a University official said that although the amendments were to be discussed on Friday, the Act of the University “empowers the V-C to take any decision regarding the larger interest of the University, students, and staff”. The matter was discussed with the Dean, Faculty of Law and decided on accordingly.

Feature Image Credits: Himanshu for DU Beat

Gauri Garg

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Letter to DU VC urging amendment of the new curriculum

By Manasvi Kadian July 14, 2022

Two members of the Executive Council of Delhi University have sent a letter to the Vice-Chancellor urging him to make amendments to the recently-approved UGCF-2022. Read to find out more.

Recently, members of the Executive Council Of Delhi University have written to the Vice-Chancellor, Yogesh Singh, urging him to make amendments to the recently approved Undergraduate Curriculum Framework-2022 (UGCF-2022) which is planned to be implemented from the academic year 2022-23.

The framework, which was formulated by the National Education Policy (NEP) cell, has come to face opposition by a section of teachers. Claiming that this may lead to a dilution of the “academic rigour”, two Executive Council members, Seema Das and Rajpal Singh Pawar, have pointed out the shortcomings of the framework in their letter.

…. Based on New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) 2022 has been haphazardly made by an extra-statutory body, i.e. NEP Cell, leading to the dilution of academic rigour,” the letter read (Source- PTI).

The reduction of the overall required credit from 196 to 176 in four years and 148 to 132 in three years would end up significantly reducing the workload. Thus, the new curriculum would lead to a massive displacement of the teaching staff, especially of the ad hoc teachers, as highlighted by the letter.

As per authentic information, the student-teacher ratio is being doubled in comparison to the present student-teacher ratio across subject/ discipline by the UGC and hence, the University of Delhi… This will drastically reduce workload,” the letter read further (Source- PTI).

The removal of English, as a compulsory language course under BA and BCom and as an option under Ability Enhancement Courses, will also significantly affect the workload of the English department in colleges.

Furthermore, the total weightage of the CBCS/ LOCF core papers has also been reduced from 70-75% to 45-50% under the new framework, reducing workload even further.

Additionally, under DU’s recent directive, no ad hoc or guest teacher can be appointed until every already-employed teacher is taking 16 periods per week. It is believed that this will lead to a situation where the importance of quality research is grossly underestimated and which will ignore the “importance of research done by the faculty members.”

NEP’s Multi Entry-Exit system (MEES) and Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) are also believed to institutionalise “a fluctuating workload and roster” which will hamper “the implementation of the constitutionally obligatory provisions of reservation for SC/ST/OBC/EWS in teaching jobs.”

We request you [the VC] to consider and take into account the above-mentioned facts in the course of implementation of the UGCF and bring the required amendments without any further delay,” thus, the members have urged in their letter.

Feature Image: University of Delhi official

Manasvi Kadian

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Vice-Chancellor of DU lays down foundation stone of new academic block: Kamala Nehru College

By Manasvi Kadian February 2, 2022

The Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University laid down the foundation stone of a new academic block at Kamala Nehru College on Monday, 31st January 2022. Read more to find out about this new building.

The foundation stone of a new academic block was laid down at Kamala Nehru College by the Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh at a ceremony on Monday, 31st January 2022. This event was organised in two parts: the foundation stone laying ceremony, held at nature square in Kamala Nehru College, and the felicitation and address which took place in the auditorium hall of the college. The entire event was streamed live on the YouTube channel of the college to maximise the viewing capacity even with the COVID restrictions and guidelines in place.

This new academic block was proposed as part of the Other Backward Class (OBC) Infrastructure Expansion plan, implemented in the college in 2017. This plan can be interpreted as one building upon the past attempts to expand infrastructure after the implementation of the 27% reservation policy of 2009.

According to the statements by the college, the new block is to be built upon an area of 1250 sq. metres with a basement, a ground floor, a mezzanine floor, and a first floor. The ground floor is set to have a lecture hall with a 180-people seating capacity and a green room, equipment room, storeroom, and washrooms, while the basement would have nine tutorial rooms, a staff room, and lockers. The mezzanine floor is to have a loft and storerooms, and the first floor will have a classroom, a terrace porch, and a bridge connecting the new block with the old one. All the classrooms in the block will be smart classrooms. The college also added that this new building is an environmentally friendly structure, reflecting the college’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

As a student, inculcating smart learning and technology into the physical classroom feels like a great step to me. The addition of this new building and these classrooms will make it easier for the college to accommodate the huge student body, in addition to making learning more interactive.”, says Hridya Madhav, a first-year student of Kamala Nehru College.

The addition of smart classrooms signifies a change in the educational perspective of Indian institutions as well as of individuals who are part of Indian academia. This step towards adopting a more hybrid form of learning, in addition to the proposal and implementation of a policy like NEP, signifies a rising trend of change in the Indian academic sector.

After the laying of the foundation stone, the addressal began with recalling the laying of the foundation stone of the original building of Kamala Nehru College by the then-president V.V. Giri on 21st November 1972. This was followed by a felicitation of the chief guest, Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh, as well as other senior officials who were present at the event including the Dean of Colleges, Prof. Balram Pai; Director, South Campus, Prof. Shri Prakash Singh; Chairperson, KNC Governing body, Shri Jaydeep Ahuja; and Treasurer, KNC Governing body, Shri Anwar Shahid.

The college’s principal, Dr. Kalpana Bakhuni elaborated upon the various ways the college had moulded itself to function in such unprecedented times of the COVID crisis, such as through the use of online resources, technology, as well as the various aids that were provided to the students through schemes like ‘Recharge the Learning Scheme’.

Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh also addressed the audience, appreciating the college’s efforts in adapting to this changed learning environment as well as in the context of the new academic block. He also brought attention to the NEP, emphasising the role played by higher educational institutions and teachers in the implementation of the policy and the need to properly understand the intricacies of the same. He also talked about the guiding principle behind this policy, which is inculcating a more comprehensive, all-encompassing, and value-enriched curriculum rather than one which is solely focused on academic achievements of students.

Read also “Guiding Lights in ‘Unprecedented Times’: DU Professors” https://dubeat.com/2022/02/guiding-lights-in-unprecedented-times-du-professors/

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Manasvi Kadian

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Contribute to Fight against COVID-19: DU Vice-Chancellor to Alumni

By DU Beat April 19, 2020

Vice Chancellor of Delhi University urges Alumni to contribute to the battle against Coronavirus.

Delhi University has reached out to its alumni network and urged them to contribute in the fight against COVID-19. The Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi has written a letter to the alumni of the University and urged them to strengthen their efforts in serving the society in whatever way they can. He has also requested them to share about their endeavours in order to inspire the community by writing to the University on a dedicated email id, ‘[email protected]’.

Faculty and staff members of the department and constituent colleges have contributed their one-day’s salary, amounting to more than four crore rupees, to the PM-CARE Fund and intends to contribute more.

University VC has also informed the alumni network of the steps taken by Delhi University to contribute to the prevention of COVID-19 as well as the aid provided to the needy and vulnerable sections of the society. He has written about the efforts taken by University faculty to teach students through digital resources so as their education can continue uninterrupted. “Our faculty members have successfully explored virtual classrooms and other digital aids to ensure continuity in the teaching-learning process,” he writes.

“We are reviewing our preparations for admissions in the next session. We feel confident our students will have a fruitful session this year, too,” he says about the DU admission process which has been put on hold for the time being. The University is also taking care of the multitude of students who hail from different parts of the country and some from other countries as well.

The University has also launched ‘DU Care for Neighbour’ programme to help poor or homeless people in the neighbourhood of the University’s North and South campuses. Constituent colleges have also been asked to initiate similar program in their vicinity.

Delhi University has also constituted a Special Task Force with a diverse representation that meets regularly through virtual mode to discuss impending challenges, devise solutions and implement them.

Featured Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Paridhi Puri

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HRD MINISTRY OFFICIALS MEET DU VICE CHANCELLOR

By Shivani Dadhwal January 16, 2020

On 15^th January, officials of Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry met Delhi University (DU) Vice Chancellor (VC), Yogesh Tyagi, to discuss in detail the issue of recruitment of staff at the university and also, appeal to teachers to call off their month-long strike that began on 4^th December 2019.

HRD Ministry met Yogesh Tyagi, Vice Chancellor of Delhi University, on Wednesday over the vehement issue of recruitment of teachers. The HRD officials also aimed to appeal to agitating teachers to call off their strike. DU teachers have raised several demands and one of these demands is the absorption of ad hoc teachers permanently and their tenure should be considered as part of their total service.

Amit Khare, the Higher Education Secretary of HRD Ministry met DU VC and some other University Officials and further appealed the teachers to withdraw their strike for the smooth functioning of the University as it would be in the best interests of all students.

All colleges and institutions have been asked to appoint contract, ad hoc, guest and temporary faculty before commencing the procedure of appointing permanent faculty. Another issue that has been taken up by the university is the additional requirement of faculty as per the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) scheme. The Ministry also offered an option to ad-hoc to appear for interviews for becoming permanent faculty. Earlier, DU was instructed to let ad-hoc faculty continue their service until the positions of permanent faculty are filled.

Last week, several officials associated with Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) had met officials of the HRD Ministry to discuss the demands raised by the teachers’ association. DU teachers went on an indefinite strike and collectively decided to boycott evaluation as a means to bring their demands forward. In the month of December, several protest marches were organized by DUTA to HRD Ministry and UGC.

Image Credits: The Financial Express

Suhani Malhotra

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DUTA Burns VC’s Effigy as the University Strike Enters Its 36th Day

By DU Beat January 9, 2020

DUTA protesters burned an effigy of Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi as the strike against the New Education Policy enters its 36^th day.

On 8^th January 2020, hundreds of protesters gathered despite the harsh and severe climate to protest against the lack of action being taken by the University of Delhi and its Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi. The gathering was called by Delhi University Teacher’s Association (DUTA) against the inaction being taken regarding their demands of permanent absorption and time-bound promotions of the university’s teachers. The gathering burnt an effigy to show their vexation over his neglect and reiterate his removal.

DUTA has been on strike since last month in demand of one-time regulation for the absorption of ad-hoc and temporary teachers, with the continuance of the indefinite strike with the boycott of invigilation, evaluation and all other official duties to press for their demand. In a press release, DUTA stated that the working conditions of DU teachers have continued to worsen in comparison to all other universities. They claim that without direct intervention from the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and the University Grants Commission (UGC), it will be impossible to retain the academic talent that continues to contribute to DU’s position as a premier central university,” and insists that the only alternative for ending the strike is complete acceptance and implementation by the DU administration of all the points of agreement reached with the DUTA and articulated in its summary note of discussion released on 6 December 2019.

In the press release, DUTA president Rajib Ray stated, “The plight of ad-hoc and temporary teachers in DU is characterised by despair. DUTA reiterates that the only just solution to prolonged ad-hoc in DU (for which the current VC and his officials are responsible in a big way) is Permanent Absorption. The DUTA is dismayed that despite a detailed White Paper arguing the case for the VC’s removal, the MHRD and UGC has been dragging its feet and allowing him to continue his anti-teacher and inactive mode of administration.

The DUTA will mobilise the teachers and students in the coming days for massive action programmes unless its agreement with the MHRD and UGC is implemented immediately and decisive action is taken against the DU Vice-Chancellor.”

The teachers of the University of Delhi have been on strike since 6^th December.

Feature Image Credit: DU Beat Archives

Shreya Juyal

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Chronological Account of the DUTA Ad-Hoc Crisis

By DU Beat December 6, 2019

The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) organised a massive protest on December 4 and December 5 in light of the ad-hoc crisis. The protest was in the form of ‘VC Gherao’ where more than 8000 teachers stormed into the VC (Vice Chancellor) Office. After the protest’s intensity, the circular issued on August 28, 2019 has been amended.

The Delhi University Teachers’ Association showed great distress against the circular issued on 28th August 2019 which led to dismissal of 4500 ad-hoc teachers from their teaching service in the University. On 3rd December, 2019, The DUTA office bearers held a meeting at 6 p.m. wherein they decided that due to lack of communication from Professor Yogesh Tyagi, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Delhi (DU), they will give the administration extra 10 hours to resolve the on-going crisis and inform the DUTA about the same. Failure to do so, the DUTA will go on an indefinite strike, boycotting all invigilation, evaluation and any other official duties from 4th December onwards.

The DUTA collaborated with the staff association of various colleges to completely boycott the exam duties as families of 4500 teachers were at stake. However, DUTA requested the teachers not to stop students from taking exams. The administration along with Vice Chancellor remained silent on the entire issue and provided no relief to the teachers which led to the massive protest on 4th December.

On 4th December 2019, the DUTA began with its ‘indefinite strike’ outside the Vice Chancellor’s Office in the North Campus of the University at 11 a.m. Over 8000 teachers participated in the massive protest in the form of VC Gherao on DUTA’s call in response to ongoing crisis.

Image Caption:Teachers gathered in large number outside the VC Office on the first day of the protest

Image Credits: Anoushka Sharma for DU Beat

Teachers raised slogans such as “Inquilab Zindabaad” and “DU VC shame shame” throughout the day. Teachers also reached out to the masses through the social media to raise awareness about the issue and apprise the students of the cause beyond the exam boycott.

The teachers went through and occupied the Council Hall where Academic Council and Executive Council meetings are held.

“Thank you, VC, for not caring about 4500 Families”, “VC communicate” and “Lodge was stormed in 1984 and 2019” were written all over the walls of the Council Hall to show the dissent of the teachers.

Teachers scribble their dissent on the walls of the VC Office

Several student organisations such as the All India Students’ Union (AISA), Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) and Student Federation of India (SFI) extended their solidarity to the teachers and even joined the protest. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) led Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) also organised protests and condemned the actions of the Vice Chancellor.

At 6:45 P.M. , Many hours after the occupation of the lodge, the VC showed no sign of communication. The police tried to stop the food arrangements made by DUTA for the raging protesters. At 9 P.M., DUTA kept its coordination meeting and decided to keep the strike on with the use of candles and torches.

On December 5, the strike continued outside the VC Lodge with all the teachers protesting relentlessly. Due to the earlier day’s protest, the Administration called the police forces for security. As per sources, the police performed a lathi march on the teachers to stop them from entering the building. Allegedly many of the teachers along with students got injured in the ruckus.

Image Caption: The second day of the protest saw immense barricading and police force deployment as the teachers continued with their demands

Image Credits:Yadu Ushanandani

A meeting was held at 4 p.m. and a circular was released by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in light of the ad-hoc crisis.

The circular released by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India

At 7 P.M. on the same day, DUTA was promised by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) that no teacher would lose their job because of the August 28 letter. Due to the meeting of DUTA executives with the MHRD, a circular was released that proposed immediate changes in criteria and appointment of the academic staff and promised to launch new additional teaching positions under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in no less than 30 days.

However, while DUTA celebrated a kind of victory, the DUTA Executive decided to keep a meeting on 6th December 2019 and kept the protest on with their continued demand for the absorption for all teachers.

On 6th December 2019, the extended DUTA Executive Meeting was held at 2 p.m. to review the next course of action. After the meeting ended, Seema Das, Member of the Academic Council quoted, “Friends, we think that we have not gained any substantive achievement on any issue, not even the issue of withdrawal of 28th August letter. Rather, it has now become more confusing and makes it subject to interpretation by the head of institution. Besides, nothing concrete is gained on promotion and other issues. Status quo is maintained. At least some concrete step towards Absorption was what we were looking for out of this unprecedented movement. In such situation, I am doing my best to carry on with this fight along with a few dedicated activists and ad-hoc colleagues. Need support from you all.”

Meanwhile, the strike at the VC Office and the exam duty boycott continues with the request for the absorption for all teachers.

Feature Image Credits: Yadu Ushanandani

Chhavi Bahmba

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