NEW DELHI: A day after Lakshmibai College and Shyam Lal College implemented the UGC order, withdrawing the increments given to PhD and research scholars and disbursing reduced salaries, the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) announced a massive protest on campus on March 7. DUTA also declared that all DU classes would remain suspended on Friday.
Although Delhi University has not yet taken a decision on the issue, Lakshmibai College and Shyam Lal College have already implemented the order. On Tuesday, the staff association of Lakshmibai College met Principal Pratush Vatsala and expressed objections to the hasty implementation of the UGC order, even before DU had made an official decision.
The protesting academics, including senior DUTA members, emphasized that higher qualifications enhance teaching quality and should be incentivised rather than discouraged. They had previously written to the Education Minister, urging the Ministry of Education to intervene and prevent the implementation of this directive, which they described as “draconian.”
DUTA President A.K. Bhagi stated, “The UGC must ensure that the withdrawal of increments is not applied retrospectively, as it would negatively impact faculty members who earned these qualifications under existing regulations.”
Meanwhile, DTF President Rajib Ray criticised the decision, saying, “This sudden reversal and reference to an older letter—one that was withdrawn by the MoE itself—is bewildering, to say the least. Our objections also stem from the fact that these increments were last gazetted in the UGC Regulations 2018 and cannot be overridden through a mere letter. Furthermore, the letter dated 10.02.2025 is unacceptable, as it revokes a benefit that has been in place for nearly four decades, based on sound academic rationale. ”
JNUSU protests at dean’s office, seeks poll notice
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) 2025-26 staged a protest at the Dean of Students (DoS) office on Thursday, demanding the immediate release of the notification for student body elections. Students affiliated with Left-leaning parties insisted that the administration issue the notification at the earliest, in accordance with the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations, and also open the newly constructed Barak Hostel.
As per the Lyngdoh Committee Report (LCR) and the JNUSU Constitution, the election process should be completed within 6-8 weeks after the admission process concludes. The administration is expected to release the notification once the admission process for the current session is completed, following the closure of PhD admissions.