Rollback of Choice Based Credit System every party's poll plank

Rollback of Choice Based Credit System is every party’s plank in the Delhi University Teachers’ Association elections, scheduled for 27th August.

Teachers groups are opposing the CBCS on account of the new system having an adverse effect on ad hoc teachers’ appointments.

Presidential candidate from the BJP-backed National Democratic Teachers’ Front, said: “The teacher workload has been fluctuating due to the implementation of the CBCS. Appointments should be resumed based on the workload before the CBCS. The future of 4,000 teachers is at stake here.”

The credit-based system is one of the big ticket announcements made by the Human Resource Development Ministry this year. All University Grants Commission funded central universities have implemented the CBCS from this year’s academic session onwards.

“In the last four years, the DU has become an experimentation ground. First, the semester system was brought in and then came the four-year undergraduate programme, and now they have rolled out CBCS. Was DU ever ready for it? We are demanding both rollback and review of the CBCS,” Negi said.

Congress-backed Academics for Action and Development’s has also echoed similar demands with rollback of the CBCS and restoration of university autonomy finding priority in its agenda.

“Teacher promotion and speedy permanent appointments are the main issues in the election, since these are pending for a long time now. Appointments should not be stalled over Delhi or Central government letters,” AAD’s presidential nominee Sanjay Kumar said.

Saying that the UGC cannot be left to frame syllabus, the group is also demanding complete rollback of the CBCS.

All groups are also demanding 7th pay commission for teachers.“We are demanding a pay review committee be maintained with professors be assured three career progressions. Proper pension scheme should also be put in place for teachers working since 2003. Vacant posts need to be filled, and proper pensions need to be given.

University autonomy has to be restored, and common Universities bill has to be withdrawn,” the current DUTA President, standing from Democratic Teachers’ Front, said.