‘Freedom of expression under threat’

The Federation of Central Universities Teachers’ Associations (FEDCUTA) has taken “serious note” of the alleged threats being posed to freedom of expression and other democratic rights of teachers of central universities through attempts to bring them under the ambit of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules.

‘Insidious attempts’

“A letter sent by the University Grants Commission to all central universities in May reveals the insidious attempts of the government to bring university teachers across the country under these rules, thus curtailing their democratic rights to participate in a host of activities that will redefine the role of teachers in society,” FEDCUTA stated in a release.

Jawaharlal Nehru University is currently seeing the implementation of the rules. The teachers’ body said that attempts to impose the rules were part of the Centre’s agenda to increase its “stranglehold” over central universities and “convert them into government departments”.

“It is clear that increased government control is being imposed at a time when teachers across the country have been protesting against the government’s repeated attempts to shed its responsibility to fund universities, thereby promoting greater privatisation of Indian higher education,” stated FEDCUTA.

“It is a part of the multi-pronged assault on public funded education through “reforms” that translate into commercialisation and attacks on democratic functioning of universities,” FEDCUTA stated, adding that attempts to impose the CCS Conduct Rules on university and college teachers are “illegal and unconstitutional”.