In an attempt to put more pressure on Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University and to intensity their agitation against the proposed semester system teachers of the university will start ‘Relay Dharna’ at VC office. Teachers of different colleges, under Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA), will sit on the Relay Dharna from 15th February to 19th February.

Teachers of several disciplines including Botany, Zoolozy, Economics, English, Psychology, Sociology, have already opposed the proposed system. Even, Prof. Deepak Pental, Vice-Chancellor, Delhi University, has faced strong opposition on this issue in a meeting with teachers at Delhi School of Economics few days ago.

Delhi University Teachers Union (DUTA) will bring out a white paper on the action and administration of Deepak Pental, Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University. Interacting with media, DUTA President Aditya Narayan Mishra said that the process to prepare the white paper is already on. He said that since the white paper has socio-legal implications so DUTA is taking utmost care to prepare the same. According to him the paper will be prepared two or three weeks. Once it is prepared it will be brought into public domain.

DUTA is preparing a white paper against the Vice-Chancellor after a long time. The last white paper was prepared during the tenure of former Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University Prof. Deepak Nayyar. The paper brought many wrongdoings of the former Vice-Chancellor into notice.

DUTA MARCH TO PARLIAMENT:

DUTA is organizing a protest march to the Parliament/MHRD on 22nd December against the irrational service conditions for teachers negative approach for genuine talents in the university. Later on DUTA will organize a Dharna on 23rd December outside the Excutive Council meeting at VC’s office against the proposed semester system and multiple attendance system.

Federation of Central Universities Teachers Associations (FEDCUTA) has welcomed the Human Resource Minister Kapil Sibal’s statement that the policy of ‘persuasion and not the compulsion’ will be followed in the implementation of the semester system in the university. FEDCUTA President Aditya Narayan Mishra says that this shows the government has respected the autonomy of the university and taken care of teachers’ and students’ concerns on the issue of implementation of semester system but the Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University is trying to impose the system in a very undemocratic manner.

It is notable that HRD Minister has today told in the Parliament that government will implement the semester system in the universities despite resistance but at the same time he has also said that no time frame has been decided for the implementation of the system. He said that policy of persuasion would be followed as university is an autonomous body.

Teachers of Delhi University have already registered strong protest against the implementation of the semester system in the university. Delhi University Students Union too has registered the protest in this regard. Teachers opposing the semester system are saying that the system can not be implemented without proper infrastructure and manpower. Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) has been demanding a debate on desirability and feasibility of semester system. It has also demanding a General Body Meeting of the teachers of all the discipline and to take their views before going ahead for the implementation of the system.

SS Rathi, former DUTA President too says that it is true that the government has favoured the universalization of the system but at the same time it has not made the proposed system mandatory. The way Delhi University Vice-Chancellor is trying to impose system on the colleges is not just undemocratic but will also prove very harmful for the teaching-learning system in the college.

Teachers of Delhi University have planned a mass protest against the proposed semester system in undergraduate courses in the colleges. Teachers, under the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA), will stage protest in front of Vice-Chancellor’s office on Tuesday around 1.00 pm.
Staff Associations of at least 35 colleges of Delhi University have supported the protest and given assurance for the participation in the programme. According to Aditya Narayan Mishra, President, DUTA these teachers have been opposing the Vice-Chancellor’s move to impose semester system without providing proper infrastructure and manpower for implementing the system and some other humiliating service condition. On 7th December teachers of Delhi University observed one day strike in this concern. Later on DUTA Executives sat on Dharna in front of VC office. The move was supported by a large number of teachers.

While former President APJ Abdul Kalam was discussing teacher-student relationship at St. Stephens College the teachers of Delhi University were either out of the college or on the street against the apathetic attitude of the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Deepak Pental towards teachers and students.

These teachers were observing one -day strike against the Vice-Chancellor and later on they sat on Dharna in front of V-C office. These teachers were opposing semester system at the undergraduate level and demanding adequate infrastructure and manpower for implementation of the system in the university.

As a result both teachers and students were stayed away from most of the colleges. On the other hand dharna has attracted a large gathering in the university. Later on, the VC had to deferred the meeting of Executive Council of the university amid the strong protest. “It is a big success for us. Semester system can not be imposed without proper infrastructure and manpower” Aditya Narayan Mishra, President DUTA, told fachcha.com