The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) on Thursday led a protest against ‘forced autonomy’ to Delhi University colleges outside the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The protest coincided with the UGC’s Full Commission meeting at which the issue of granting autonomy to St. Stephen's College, and Hindu College was allegedly listed for discussion.
‘Last minute change’
DUTA president Rajib Ray said, “We were informed on Wednesday morning that the item on granting autonomy to St. Stephen’s and Hindu College has been dropped from the agenda of the meeting. This last minute change in the agenda of the Full Commission meeting is owing to continuous protests. This deferral is, however, no guarantee against the government’s plan to privatise its premier public-funded higher educational institutions,” he said.
‘Statutory autonomy’
DUTA said that DU already has its own statutory autonomy inscribed in its founding Act and its constituent colleges partake of this autonomy. In this context, no other form of autonomy that violates its founding Act, Statutes and Ordinances is legally tenable or desirable.
“The government’s insistence on forcing its new autonomy schemes is guided by its plan to allow these institutions to lay out their own admissions and appointment rules, do away with reservation for socially marginalised SCs, STs and OBCs, and alter the fee structure, pay and service conditions of its employees at will. This will make education expensive and exclusionary. It will push colleges towards extreme commercialisation,” DUTA said.
Protests to continue
Mr. Ray said the protest would continue, including boycott of evaluation, until the UGC assures that autonomy will not be forced on colleges.
