Teachers at central universities can’t criticize Government

University Grants Commission (UGC) says all the educational institutions taking funds from the Central Government will now come under rules that disallow protest.
The Teachers employed at central universities will find themselves in trouble if they participate in any anti-government protest or if they speak at an event critical of the government’s policy and functioning.
The Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, which apply to other ‘civilian employees’, will now apply to the university teachers as well.
The rules say a government of India employee is not allowed to express their views on a platform that is critical of the government or participate in any protest.
All this was conveyed to all the central universities by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in a letter it sent in the month of May. Still many Universities are in the process of adopting this rule.
As per the rules, the government has the right to dismiss an employee if they are found breaking the rules.
The restrictions are as per the Department of Personnel of Training (DoPT), include:
1. Not making joint representations in matters of common interest.
2. Not joining any association or demonstration whose objects or activities are prejudicial to the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, public order and morality.
3. Not joining or supporting any illegal strike.
Jawaharlal Nehru University adopted the rule in its latest academic council meeting, among the opposition from a section of teachers. The JNU teachers will not be able to say anything against the government or its functioning or be able to voice their opinion in public.
According to The Print, Heeraman Tiwari, acting registrar of JNU said “JNU is a public funded university and it is important that in all administrative, financial, establishment and service matters, the university follows the government of India and UGC rules,”
“It is extremely disappointing that a small section of the JNU Teachers’ Association are deliberately campaigning against UGC regulations.”
The academic council of Delhi University has still not taken up the matter for discussion whereas, DU has an active teachers association that keeps holding protests and raising its voice against the government.
Teachers at other central universities such as Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University and Hyderabad Central University usually refrain from being a part of protests. However, they will also now be officially forbidden from doing so.
Teachers statement
According to The Print, a JNU professor, who did not wanted to get identified said: “There is a difference in the way teachers work and government employees work. We cannot be governed under the same rules as them, it will take away our academic freedom, the freedom to express ourselves.________________________________________Rajesh Jha, who teaches at Delhi University had agreed that they are working for the Central government but they cannot be treated the same way as other Central government employees are treated. They should be given the freedom to voice their own opinions, express themselves, and be critical of the government.