The ongoing tussle between teachers and administration (read Vice-Chancellor) of Delhi University on the issue of arbitrary implementation of semester system has intensified as taking a very tough stand Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) has appealed all teachers to dissociate from admission process. It has also called a General Body Meeting next month to ‘struggle against VC’s dictatorship’.
The decision in this regard was taken in DUTA Executive meeting on 29th May. DUTA has also appealed all teachers to dissociate themselves from preparing time-table for the coming session 2010-11.

DUTA’s appeal to dissociate teachers from the admission process may hamper the ongoing admission process very badly as the all the admission committees in the colleges are constituted with the teachers. The students may face difficult situation if the appeal is taken seriously by the teachers, as the mood of the teachers in the university. A large number of teachers have already opposed the ‘half baked semester system at the undergraduate level’. Even Science teachers, in which DU VC claims to implement the semester system, too have opposed the system strongly in their recent meetings.

It will be a difficult task for any college to conduct admission process properly if teachers go by appeal, said a Principal of a College of Delhi University, who do not want to be named. According to him teachers of all subjects participate in the admission process at the undergraduate level and if they keep themselves away from the process it would be almost impossible to run admission process properly.

“During the last two months he has launched a ferocious offensive against the University Act, Statutes and Ordinances, autonomy and sanctity of the university bodies like the Executive Council, Academic Council, Faculties, Departments, etc. and has violated all norms of democratic functioning”, said DUTA President Aditya Narayan Mishra today in a press conference.

The DUTA strongly condemned the Vice-Chancellor for recently informing the colleges to implement semester system in Science courses from the academic session 2010-11 as well as merging two courses namely B.Sc. Applied Physical Sciences-Electronics and B.Sc. Applied Physical Sciences-Computer Science into the semester based B.Sc. (Programme) Physical Science Courses in gross violation of University Act, Statutes, and Ordinances. DUTA further condemns the VC of going another step ahead in case of violating rules by implementing Semester System in B.Sc. (H) Electronics without even bringing it before the Academic Council.

“Both the letters dated 25 and 26 May, 2010 on semester system for UG science courses sent by the University to colleges are absolutely irregular and illegal act as they have been sent without placing the matter before the EC for its decision and issuance of Ordinance for the same”, Mishra said giving references of the university’s Ordinance and Rules.

It is not out of context to add that as per Act 31 (4) and (5) all Ordinances made by the Executive Council shall be submitted to the Visitor (President of India) and the Visitor may, by order, direct that the operation of any ordinance shall be suspended until he has had an opportunity of exercising his power of disallowance. Thus, Prof. Deepak Pental has taken not only EC and AC but also the Visitor for granted and without giving any opportunity to the Visitor to consider the relevant Ordinances, he has put his proposal in operation and implemented the semester system, DUTA alleged.

The city government today said that it is committed to make Delhi a Tobacco Free City before the Commonwealth Games 2010. Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit on the occasion of Observing of “World No Tobacco Day” launched an integrated community based pilot project on tobacco control to tell the people about ill effects of tobacco and also to make treatment accessible to people through participation of NGOs including Delhi Medical Association. The Institute of Human behavior & Allied Sciences (IHBAS) will be the coordinating agency.
Dikshit said that the pilot project, in first phase will be started in five areas of East and South Delhi namely, Sunder Nagri, Nand Nagari, Gandhi Nagar, Shastri Park and Hauz Khas. Dikshit also launched a website for extending help to the people quit tobacco and tobacco products. She said that currently 1.5 million people die every year globally from tobacco use, out of which 1.2 million die in the South-East Asia Region alone. With an estimated 120 million smokers in India, the annual deaths from smoking are expected to rise to 1 million during 2010. Women comprise about 20% of the world’s more than 1 billion smokers. It is alarming and has become point of concern for all of us.
The Minister of Health Kiran Walia said on this occasion that the smoke free Delhi initiative is being executed in the shape of a project within the stipulated time frame. The smoke free Delhi means that everyone is protected in Delhi from hazards of tobacco smoke in all public places including the auditoria, hospitals buildings, railway waiting rooms, amusements centres, restaurants, public offices, court buildings, educational institutions, libraries, public conveniences and the like which are visited by general public .

Delhi will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and constitute two committees to oversee the implementation of the UIDAI Project in Delhi. The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting presided over by the Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

Revenue Department has been declared as the Nodal Department and the Divisional Commissioner has been designated as the Nodal Officer. The Cabinet has also approved a draft MoU in this regard. As per MoU the UIDAI will develop and prescribe standards for recording data and bio-metric fields, prescribe processes for enrollment of residents and the standards and criteria to be fulfilled by an agency, provide the software and authenticate the identity of a persons with UID number whereas the city government will cooperate and collaborate with the Authority in conducting proof of concept studies, identify registrars for implementation, follow the criteria and process for appointment of registrar, etc., put in place and institutional mechanism, provide required financial and other resources and provide logistic and liaison support to the staff.

The cabinet also stressed upon the need of proper monitoring of entire exercise. Keeping in view this very fact the Cabinet has decided to constitute a State Level Implementation Committee with the Chief Secretary as Chairman and Divisional Commissioner as Member Secretary. The Committee will have in all 14 members. It has also decided to constitute a State Level Council headed by the Chief Minister.

The UIDAI, under the chairmanship of Nandan Nilekani, was constituted in January, 2009 by Government of India with an aim to issue Unique ID numbers to the residents of India.

Foreign students, who wish to get entry in an undergraduate course in Delhi University, will have to follow different route than the normal admission process. Though, at least five percent seats in the first year of each course in colleges are reserved for foreign students but to avail this facility they have to apply through different route.

All such students will have to apply Deputy Dean (Foreign Students), C/o – Faculty of Management Studies of University of Delhi. All such candidates seeking admission to B.A./ B.Com./ B.Sc. or any other courses should apply to Deputy Dean (Foreign Students). No foreign student shall be admitted to a college without the prior approval of the Deputy Dean (Foreign Student) of Delhi University, says S K Vij, Dean of Student Welfare.

However, the abovesaid reservation will not be applicable if a foreign student has passed the qualifying examination from an Indian Board/ University in India including Indian Boards like CBSE located in a foreign country.

Apart from these there is also a provision for relaxation to the extent of 5% in the minimum marks is given to the nominees of Nepal Government and Royal government of Bhutan.

A complaint has been filed in the Maurice Nagar police station against the Vice- Chancellor Deepak Pental and Delhi University administration for demolition of statue of B. R. Ambedkar at Delhi University Student Union premises.

In the complaint, filed by MCD councilor Tarun Kumar, says to “take necessary action against the Delhi University Administration and Vice Chancellor of Delhi University under the relevant provisions of Law for their above said illegal, arbitrary and unpardonable acts. You are further requested to act swiftly as the matter is very sensitive as it hurt the sentiments of thousand of students and other followers of Dr. Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar”, The statue had been established 2010 at DUSU premises.

After the complaint the university administration has regretted the episode. University Registrar has promised the student leaders in written that the statue will be established at the same place soon.

The Term End Examination for June, 2010 of IGNOU is going to commence from 1st June, 2010 and will conclude on 28th June, 2010.

753 examination centres have been established for the purpose. These include 58 overseas centres, 21 centres in Jail for jail inmates and 51 centres at PIs for convergence students. Hall Ticket (Examination Intimation Slips) have been issued to 348036 eligible students who had applied for appearing in the Term End Examination. The detailed hall ticket status is also available on IGNOU website. The students may also download the Hall Tickets from the University website and appear in the examination.

The Examination Centres have been instructed to allow students to appear in examination, even if they do not possess the Hall Ticket (Examination Intimation Slips), but their names exist in the list of examinees for that centre.

As examination season is over and new batches of young professionals are coming out from various institutions several companies are ready to offer new jobs in the bulk. The biggest steel PSU Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) is going to appoint over 3000 to 3500 new staffs for its various plants. ITI trained and fresh engineering graduates will be benefited the most in the proposed recruitment drive, said S K Roongta on Friday interaction with media.

SAIL has over 1.15 lakh staffs in its various plants. But about 7000 staffs retire every year from the company.