Elected members must be in Delhi University panel: Democratic Teachers’ Front

DTF in its letter stated, “It has been our long standing demand that proper notification be issued to all colleges and departments to ensure that uniformity is maintained.
Delhi university campus (File Photo)
Delhi university campus (File Photo)

NEW DELHI: A day after this newspaper reported about the non-inclusion of the elected teacher representative in the committee constituted by the University of Delhi (DU) to study the teacher-students ratio, the Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) on Monday wrote to the Vice-Chancellor (VC) Yogesh Singh urging him to expand the committee and include teacher representatives on board for a meaningful discussion.

On July 25, the varsity issued a notification stating that a committee has been constituted to study, discuss and revisit provisions related to the teacher-student ratio and the size of the student groups for lectures, practicals, tutorials, comprising seven members.

DTF in its letter stated, “It has been our long-standing demand that proper notification be issued to all colleges and departments to ensure that uniformity is maintained. However, it is shocking that the committee does not have any elected teacher representatives from the executive council or the academic council. Such an exercise carried out by few principals and heads of departments will be incomplete and futile without the involvement of elected teacher representatives who bring with them the mandate of the teaching fraternity of the university.”

“We hence request you to expand this committee and include the elected teacher representatives from all groups as well as elected independent teacher activists so that a meaningful discussion can take place on all the concerns and the implications of any changes of existing provisions on workload,” read the letter.
Mithuraaj Dhusiya, member of academic council said, “Presence of elected teacher-representatives is a must in this committee. They have the mandate as well as the experience to find constructive solutions to these very important issues that directly impact the teaching-learning process of colleges and departments of the university.”

Meanwhile, Nandita Narain, member of Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) Executive and former President, DUTA said, “Any attempt to muzzle the voice of teachers while taking academic decisions of far reaching importance will not be tolerated. This was done while railroading the decision to adopt CUET this year itself, through a committee which had no elected teacher representative, which has played havoc with our admissions to first year delaying the process by several months. Now, there is an attempt to bulldoze an increase in student-teacher ratio which will severely damage the quality of education imparted.”

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The New Indian Express
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