DUTA PRESS RELEASE, 28.05.2016

Historic General Body hits back at Government's Policy of Slash in Funds and Jobs

Over five thousand DU teachers packed the Shri Ram College of Commerce in a united show of anger against the Government's insidious attempt to deny jobs and promotions through its controversial API system and Workload changes that have been incorporated in the UGC regulations through the arbitrary Gazette Notification of 10 May.
The General Body Meeting of the DUTA witnessed a historic gathering in which teachers resolved to take the attack to the Government's doorstep and build a mass movement against its draconian policy of draining academic talent from public-funded universities and facilitating privatization through the backdoor. The Meeting culminated in a spontaneous Protest March that weaved its way through the entire Main Campus and colleges of Delhi University.

The DUTA is buoyed by the tremendous support it has received from students, fraternal teachers' associations in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra and the AIFUCTO. It has decided to extend Evaluation Boycott for the next 5 days and has given a call for a People's Protest March to the Parliament for Monday, 30 May. Students' organizations and member associations of the FEDCUTA and the two State universities, IPUTA and AUDFA, are expected to participate in the March as well.

The MHRD has the opportunity, meanwhile, to engage in meaningful dialogue geared towards an acceptable solution. Failing this, the DUTA will be forced to consider an escalation in the Movement. A Mass Campaign on the issue will be launched in the coming days, to spread awareness on the implications of the API Amendments among students, parents and civil society.

The DUTA General Body demanded:
1. Immediate withdrawal of the Amendments and a complete scrapping of the current API-system in the interests of the Teaching Fraternity and Public at large.
2. Restoration of public spending on Higher Education, greater allocation to the UGC in Budget
3. Release of the Second Tranche of teaching posts as promised under the OBC-Expansion Scheme to colleges and Universities and to expedite the process of filling up permanent vacancies.
4. One-time exemption from NET for all PhD-holders who registered prior to 2009.

The DUTA General Body resolved to carry out the following Action Programmes
1. Evaluation Boycott to continue till Thursday, 2 June.
2. Peoples March to Parliament on Monday, 30 May. Assemble at Mandi House, 10:30 am. Teachers, Research scholars along with their families will participate in this March.
3. DUTA Extended Executive Meeting on Wednesday, 1 June at 10:30 am to review the situation and to suggest ways to strengthen the struggle.
4. DUTA GBM on Thursday, 2 June at 10:30 to review the situation and decide future course of action.

The Resolution, unanimously adopted in the GBM, is attached.

NANDITA NARAIN President, DUTA

SANDEEP Secretary, DUTA

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