Teachers protest outside UGC

To raise their voice against ‘policy assault’ on higher education in the country

Members of the Delhi University Teachers’ Association protest outside the UGC office in New Delhi on Monday.

Several university and college teachers formed a human chain outside the University Grants Commission (UGC) office here on Monday in protest against their service conditions and to raise their voice against a “policy assault” on higher education in the country.

The protest brought the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA), All India Federation of University & College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO), and Federation of Central Universities’ Teachers’ Associations (FEDCUTA) together.

Service conditions

The associations pointed out the “negative” service conditions in the Draft UGC Regulations, the 70:30 funding formula and the shift to loan-funding through Higher Education Funding Agency (HEFA), which they felt will severely impact the cost and quality of education, appointments of faculty and staff, promotions and other benefits in public-funded universities across the country.

Classes were suspended at Delhi University and several other universities to allow teachers to participate in a protest march from Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium to the UGC office. A delegation then went in for a meeting with the UGC Secretary and presented their demands and opinion on why they felt the Draft UGC Regulations were detrimental to higher education in the country.

DUTA president Rajib Ray said on top of the agenda at the meeting was a demand for 100% financial assistance to institutions of higher education for uniform and simultaneous implementation of 7th Pay Commission revision scales in all States.

They also asked for withdrawal of proposals replacing grants by loans through HEFA, graded autonomy and Autonomous College Scheme that the teachers felt will put an end to public-funded education in the country and make education out of reach to many students.

With regard to working conditions, the teachers demanded withdrawal of the clause for minimum direct-teaching hours of 14 hours for Associate Professors and 16 hours for Assistant Professors, and insistence on seven hours stay per day without any commitment to providing infrastructure.

They also insisted on counting of total past service in temporary and ad hoc capacity for appointments and promotions. Going forward, they demanded withdrawal of provision for contractual appointments in teaching.

The delegation said the UGC Secretary promised that the commission will “seriously consider” their demands. However, Mr. Ray said DUTA will continue with its plans to observe a “black week”, starting from Monday till March 19 in Delhi University, with teachers wearing black bands as a mark of protest while taking classes, and holding public campaigns at metro stations and other public spaces in the city to raise awareness about the “destructive” policy measures of the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the UGC.

Higher education

“The 70:30 funding formula and loan-funding through HEFA will hit inclusivity and common access to higher education and force institutions to raise students’ fees drastically. This will inevitably lead to commercialisation of degree courses and takeover of public-funded institutions by the private sector,” Mr. Ray said.