DU teachers continue to boycott evaluation; Results likely to get delayed

NEW DELHI, MAY 21: The threat of delay looms over the results of various undergraduate courses of the Delhi University as a large number of teachers continue to boycott the evaluation process. Teachers have been boycotting evaluation work since May 9 over alleged subversion of reservation policy and likely autonomous status being granted to St. Stephen's College.

The University administration has been appealing to the teachers to call off their boycott, however, teachers have declined till Reservation Policy roster is withdrawn by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The examinations for various UG and PG courses were held in April this year in which more than one lakh students from 63 affiliated colleges of the university participated. Under normal circumstances, the results are released in the first week of July. However, with the majority of teachers associated with the University boycotting the evaluation process the chances of timely delivery of results is less.

The umbrella body of teachers in the DU, the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) have termed the recent move of the Government as Policy assault in the form of Scheme of Autonomous Colleges, Graded Autonomy and subversion of reservation policy by 5 March letter.

In March, over 60 educational institutions including five Central Universities and 21 State Universities were given graded autonomy by the UGC.

The DUTA has alleged that the Scheme of Autonomous Colleges and Graded Autonomy, which is a push towards self-financing schemes and online courses, will have far-reaching consequences for higher education, changing its objectives and purpose especially in a country like ours.

“While the academic autonomy of universities has been snatched away allowing a non-academic body such as the UGC to impose examination system, course curricula in the garb of a CBCS, the so-called autonomy is being thrust upon the university and college administration to expand self-financed courses and self-financed research and to determine fees for the purpose of gradual greater reliance on internal revenue generation,” it alleged.

Another issue which has disturbed the teaching community is the notification issued by the UGC on March 5 directing universities to implement the Reservation Roster Department/Subject-wise for teaching posts. DUTA SAYs, "The notified change in reservation roster will lead to a drastic slowdown in fulfilling the Constitutionally mandated reservation percentages of 15% for SCs, 7.5% for STs and 27% for OBCs."

Even as the UGC and the MHRD have filed petitions seeking its review because of opposition, however, however, the UGC Notification of 5 March 2018 has not been withdrawn/suspended.

Consequently, the High Court-ordered process of permanent recruitments to fill thousands of vacant posts across colleges and departments has immediately been brought to a halt. The renewal of the tenure of thousands of ad hoc teachers in July 2018, when the new academic session starts, could be in jeopardy if the Roster based on the institution as a unit is not followed.