Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) organised a human chain on Monday at the Arts Faculty to highlight the “crisis” in the university. The participants blamed the DU Vice-Chancellor and the MHRD for creating such a situation. The protest was organised ahead of the call for a total strike to be observed between February 27 and March 1.
Teachers who participated said that they felt that there was a nexus between the university administration and the MHRD to ensure that the issues remain unresolved as part of the government’s agenda to withdraw funding from higher education.
“Despite several representations from the DUTA, the MHRD has not responded in the affirmative on two burning issues: first, an ordinance to restore the 200-point roster with college/university as a unit; and second, a one-time regulation to regularise/absorb temporary/ ad hoc teachers,” said teachers. They said that non-resolution of these twin issues have not only jeopardised the process of permanent appointments but have now threatened the livelihoods of teachers working in ad hoc capacity in DU colleges.