DU postpones summer vacation by a week; ‘unacademic’, ‘unnecessary’, say teachers

NEW DELHI: The University of Delhi (DU) has postponed the summer vacation by a week. Now, the DU summer vacation for odd semesters will be from June 14 to July 21 instead of June 7 to July 21. The university announced the slight ‘modification’ in the academic calendar 2023-24 today which was already revised once in the past.

“In partial modification, it is informed that the summer vacation will be from 14th June, 2024 to 21st July, 2024 instead of 07th June, 2024 to 21st July, 2024. This is issued with the approval of the competent authority,” read DU’s official notice.

The university’s decision is drawing heavy criticism from teachers who called it ‘unacademic’ and ‘unnecessary’. The professors complained that the sudden change in the academic calendar will make it difficult for them as they have made plans in advance.

DU summer vacation delay

Abha Dev Habib who is a member of Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA), Democratic Teachers' Front and an associate professor at Miranda House said that this sudden change in the DU academic calendar is completely unacademic.

“Teachers and students make their plans well in advance. With Vacation period as the only quality period left for academic work, teachers have already applied for various academic programmes like FDPs , conferences, research commitments etc. Also, most teachers use vacation period to visit their hometowns,” she commented.

“It is difficult to buy tickets for this period. This sudden change will result in teachers using their leaves or in cancelling expensive tickets,” the professor added. The professor went on to say that no good university makes changes in the academic calendar so “callously”.

Upset with the frequent last-minute changes in the calendar, a Kirori Mal College English professor Rudrashish Chakraborty said, “This is the only vacation teachers get in the entire year: to pursue their academic work and also to visit their families in their hometowns. Most of these programmes have been planned in advance as per the already notified calendar. This kind of sudden change in the academic calendar of the University without any prior notice or any ostensible reason shows absolute disregard for any sanctity of institutional functioning and brings a bad name to the University.”

The associate professor blamed the university for disrupting the last academic year on several occasions such as the G-20 event and Holi. He called the change ‘harassment’ of teachers.

"Unnecessary tinkering of the academic calendar, time and again and that too without any discussion in statutory bodies - Academic Council and Executive Council, is very unfortunate and shows lack of proper planning by the Delhi University administration. This is bound to create inconvenience to the teaching faculty,” said Mithuraaj Dhusiya, a member of the Academic Council.