DUTA calls for rally against autonomy

Association worried about colleges becoming ‘teaching shops’

The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) has called for a joint rally of students, teachers, karamcharis , parents and citizens from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar on March 29 over DU colleges being granted autonomy.

The DUTA said the proposal to grant autonomous status would “incentivise commercialisation in the form of self-financing”.

According to the association, “financial autonomy” meant autonomy to raise fee to meet expenses. This, they said, would steeply increase the cost of education at these colleges. All aspects — from hostel facilities to examinations — will be seen as a way of generating money, the DUTA said.

‘No checks and balances’

“Autonomous colleges will mean that college managements will be free from regulatory mechanisms and checks and balances imposed by the university. Brand names will be used to convert colleges into teaching shops,” said the association.

Also, the DUTA alleged that the PMO was approaching the chairpersons of trusts of various colleges to seek autonomy.

The Vice-Chancellor, meanwhile, had set up a committee to consider proposals sent by the colleges without bringing the matter up before the statutory bodies, they said.