DUTA

DELHI UNIVERSITY TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

DAY CENTRE BUILDING, CHHATRA MARG, UNIVERSITY OF DELHI, DELHI-110007 : 27667822, 27666351, 27667725/1697

Website: duta.in, Email: duta0103@yahoo.co.in; duta.du@gmail.com

October 18, 2012

President Amar Deo Sharma H-100, Sector-41, Noida-201303 (UP) : 9868173032 9560826961

President/ Secretary Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) University of Delhi Delhi 110007 Sub: Appeal to DUSU to join the DUTA in solidarity in its struggle against the University Administration, express support for the Indefinite relay Hunger Strike and conduct a Joint Action to put up a united front against Academic Reforms

Vice-President Harish Khanna 193, IInd Floor Parmanand Colony Mukharjee Nagar ND - 09 : 9810015641

Dear Friend, You may be aware that the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) is waging a longdrawn struggle to resist the damaging changes that the Vice Chancellor is bringing about in the University without consulting the democratically elected bodies of teachers and students. The DUTA struggle against University Administration and the Vice Chancellors diktats began in 2009 with the arbitrary imposition of the semester system in the undergraduate degree programmes. The reasons for which DUTA had chosen to oppose the semester system have coroborrated by our collective experience after it was imposed. Teachers and students are very unhappy with the system as it does not allow any flexibility of time or any scope for comprehensive teaching-learning. Teachers are in a perpetual hurry to cover their syllabi and students are under tremendous pressure. The irony of the situation brought about by the Vice Chancellor became very clear when, in order to show the success of the semester system, all principles of moderation of marks were abandoned and marks were inflated to project unbelievably high percentages. The DUTA had warned that this irresponsible and dishonest manner of functioning will result in the devaluation of the Delhi University degree. Let alone taking responsibility for this blunder, the Vice Chancellor refused to provide any explanation for the Marks Scam. On the other hand, the results of the examinations conducted for students of the School of Open learning (SOL) remain undeclared to this day. Neither the Examination Branch, nor the Vice Chancellor felt obliged to come out with any statement for this shameful lapse. The careers of SOL students continue to suffer under a cloud of uncertainty. As the matter of the statutory violations committed by the Vice Chancellor in enforcing the Semester system was heard in the High Court and the judgement reserved, the ills of the semester system continued to show up. With uneven workload between even and odd semesters, departments were forced to discontinue the services of those ad-hoc teachers for whom adequate workload could not be shown. This situation also made it impossible for colleges and departments to create posts based on consistent workload and permanent teaching vacancies. In colleges where the vacancies had been advertised in the past, the Vice Chancellor refused to send the list of subject experts and allowed the advertisements to lapse. All this has finally resulted in a full-fledged teachers crisis in all colleges and departments of the University. Close to 4000 teaching posts remain vacant till date and students continue to suffer due to the unavailability of stable and permanent teachers. Now, even as there is talk of implementing a four-year undergraduate degree programme with multiple exit-points through a Task Force without any statutory approval, and without consulting any Committee of Courses, any general body of teachers and students or even the DUSU and the DUTA, the Standing Committee of the Academic Council has been forbidden from considering the cases of students who want to resume their studies after a gap, revaluation
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Secretary
S.D. Siddiqui 135, Sahyog Apptts. Mayur Vihar Ph. 1, Delhi - 91 : 9871755553 22753160

Joint Secretary D.N. Dahiya 247-/E28 West Ram Nagar (Near CRZ School) Sonepat (Haryana) 0130-2250724 : 09968198383

Treasurer Raj Kumar Verma Flat no. 312 DDA SFS Flats Pocket 1, Sec, 09 Dwarka Delhi - 77 : 9868575153

DUTA

DELHI UNIVERSITY TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

DAY CENTRE BUILDING, CHHATRA MARG, UNIVERSITY OF DELHI, DELHI-110007 : 27667822, 27666351, 27667725/1697

Website: duta.in, Email: duta0103@yahoo.co.in; duta.du@gmail.com

President Amar Deo Sharma H-100, Sector-41, Noida-201303 (UP) : 9868173032 9560826961

Vice-President Harish Khanna 193, IInd Floor Parmanand Colony Mukharjee Nagar ND - 09 : 9810015641

of papers has been discontinued and more confusing changes in the name of Examination Reforms are being pushed. To save work for the Examination Branch, students are now being asked to declare their names and details of their parents names and colleges in the examination answer-script. This move is illegal as it completely violates the principle of confidentiality and secrecy in university examinations. Additionally, it will also expose the students to all kinds of bias. The teachers are worried that the onus of secrecy is being put entirely on the individual paper-setters and the University wants to withdraw from all its responsibility and pit students against teachers. This strategy of Divide and Rule will help the Vice Chancellor to have his way as it will create an unbridgeable wedge between the students and teachers. The proposed four-year undergraduate programme in tandem with the commercialization of courses, itself is a deeply problematic model being foisted on the students and teachers of this University without any reference to the existing National Education Policy and in a scenario wherein State universities are continuing with the 10+2+3 model. While these drastic changes are being unilaterally pushed, the class-room, laboratory and library infrastructure in colleges continues to remain inadequate and, as has already been stated, teachers are not being appointed on regular basis. Whenever the DUTA or DUSU has appealed to the Vice Chancellor to meet and initiate meaningful dialogue, he has rebuffed both and refused to discuss issues in an environment of frank participation and consultation. Despite repeated exhortations, the Vice Chancellor has shown a complete lack of regard for the democratic organs of the University. Needless to say, his arrogance and dictatorial agenda has created a mess for governance and teaching-learning within the University. This situation can be salvaged only through a united and coordinated action of all the democratic organs, namely the DUTA, DUSU and DUCKU. In this regard, we are appealing to you to seriously consider extending your support to the struggle and showing your solidarity by visiting your teachers who have been on continuous Hunger Strike, since 10th October 2012, outside the Vice Chancellors office near the University Gate No. 1 and by joining us for a Joint Demonstration at the same venue on Tuesday, October 26, 2012 at 2.30 pm. Please convey your response at the earliest.

Secretary
S.D. Siddiqui 135, Sahyog Apptts. Mayur Vihar Ph. 1, Delhi - 91 : 9871755553 22753160

Joint Secretary D.N. Dahiya 247-/E28 West Ram Nagar (Near CRZ School) Sonepat (Haryana) 0130-2250724 : 09968198383

Treasurer Raj Kumar Verma Flat no. 312 DDA SFS Flats Pocket 1, Sec, 09 Dwarka Delhi - 77 : 9868575153

Thanking you. Warm regards,

Sd/(S.D. SIDDIQUI) Secretary, DUTA

(AMAR DEO SHARMA) President, DUTA