Delhi University has adopted the latest University Grants Commission’s (UGC) amendments,to which teachers claim that around 4000 teachers can lose their jobs.
Delhi University’s Academic Council met on Tuesday to discuss UGC notifications and recommendations of a vice-chancellor appointed committee on the issue of appointments and promotion of teachers in colleges and departments.
DU Registrar Tarun Das released a statement late night and said, “Today the AC deliberated upon the issue of 3rd and 4th amendments of the UGC Regulation in all its ramifications and adopted the same amendments in principle.”
“The existing committee is not representative as there are no elected teacher members. The academic council has decided to accept our demands and defer the proposal to accept UGC notifications. The committee will be expanded and will give its recommendations,” Nachiketa Singh,an academic council member told Hindustan Times.
Teachers boycotted the evaluation process last semester against the UGC guidelines on their service conditions. The protest was also against the Academic Performance Indicator (API)—the point system which determines their promotion levels.
Teachers said the committee’s recommendations in the present format will lead to ad-hocs losing their jobs. “For making appointments the committee has suggested a breakup of 50% for academic record and research, 20% for assessment of domain knowledge, 10% for teaching skills and 20% for interview. This will adversely impact ad-hocs as their experience of years of teaching will not be of much significance,” said an academic council member on condition of anonymity to Hindustan Times.
Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) has decided to oppose the move.
