Factions differ over structure but share some common concerns

The rollout of highly controversial four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) in the coming Delhi University session has divided the teachers’ group Academics for Action and Development.

One faction of AAD has a host of reservations over the new structure, while the other group supports it and demands better service conditions for ad hoc teachers.
On Monday, both the groups registered their protests and submitted memorandums to the varsity Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh.

The newly formed AAD, under the leadership of J Khuntia, has demanded assurances from the VC that following the FYUP implementation, there should be no reduction in the teachers’ workload and the process of recruitment of teachers must begin immediately while adhering to the reservation policy.

“We demand that the introduction of FYUP should lead to increase in the teachers’ workload and all subjects in arts/ humanities/ science/ social science to become the part of discipline1 (major) courses. There should be no dilution in the syllabi of existing programme, scope of foundation course (FC) should to be enlarged and be student-centric in the form of choices and discipline 2 (minor) courses be offered from the first semester onwards,” said Khuntia. He added that the group members have also urged the VC — who is also the academic council chairman — to consider their demands during the meeting of the council on Tuesday.

‘Speed up process’

The other group headed by Aditya Narayan Misra, while supporting the academic reforms in the varsity, demanded to expedite the process of adhoc appointments.

“To start the process of permanent appointments, due weightage ought to be given to adhoc teachers, continuation of all ad hoc teachers till the last day of the academic session — May 22, retention and rejoining of all ad hoc teachers in colleges on the opening day,” said Misra. He added that the memorandum submitted also includes other demands such as summer salary to the ad hoc teachers and restoration of MPhil /PhD increments to them.

“The VC has reaffirmed his position on commencing the process of permanent appointments in June. He further assured to evolve appropriate mechanism by which weightage to the teaching experience can be assured to the temporary teachers,” said Misra.