UGC chairman meets DU's protesting teachers

University Grants Commission chairman, Ved Prakash, has assured Delhi University Teachers’ Association members who staged a peaceful protest outside UGC on Friday that the commission will send a letter to DU authorities regarding the ‘irregularities’ pointed out by the DUTA members.

DUTA delegation comprising its office bearers and two elected teacher representatives in DU’s executive council handed over a memorandum to the UGC chairman.

“After taking their classes, over 200 teachers joined us. We told Prakash about the non-fixation of pension without any justification, over 4,000 teaching position lying vacant and no promotion of teachers since long. He expressed his surprise and unhappiness about these issues,” said Amar Deo Sharma, president DUTA.

Looking into anomalies
According to DUTA members, Prakash has also assured to bring out the report of the UGC committee looking into pay revision anomalies and teachers’ service condition at the earliest.

“Prakash further instructed the UGC standing counsel to meet DUTA members and discuss the issues to arrive at a solution on pension. A meeting for it was also fixed for next week,” said another DUTA member.

Members from various college student unions also joined the protest. “Academic changes like semester system which led to high discrepancies in the marking pattern is a matter of concern to us. Our future depends on the degree we get from here,” said Vikas Kumar, Economics(H) student from Kirori Mal College.