NEW DELHI: Senior faculty members at Delhi University have voiced strong opposition to a proposed policy mandating periodic review and compulsory retirement of university employees, arguing that it undermines the institution’s autonomy and targets senior staff unfairly.
At a meeting held on Monday by a committee constituted by DU’s Executive Council (EC), Dr Mithuraaj Dhusiya submitted a detailed note challenging the applicability of the Department of Personnel and Training’s (DoPT) Office Memorandum dated June 27, 2024.
Dhusiya contended that the policy has no legal basis in Central Universities like DU, which operate under UGC-approved ordinances. Citing the Allahabad High Court’s ruling in Dr Suchitra Mitra vs Union of India, he emphasised that professors at central universities are not government servants and do not hold civil posts under the Union, making the Central Civil Services (CCS) rules inapplicable. “The Professors of the University are neither members of a service nor do they hold a civil post under the Union,” the court had ruled, reaffirming that such rules do not apply to central universities.
He also referred to a 2018 statement by former HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, clarifying that universities with their own ordinances are not obligated to adopt CCS rules.
Raising concerns over the policy’s intent, Dhusiya argued that it disproportionately targets employees above 50 years of age while sparing junior staff. Terming it “arbitrary” and a “witch-hunt,” he accused the administration of attempting to replace permanent staff with temporary or contractual hires.
“This notification is an unmitigated disaster,” he wrote, adding that it threatens to institutionalize contractual employment across the board. The committee is yet to take a final call, with the next round of discussions scheduled for July 10.