NEW DELHI: Controversy erupted at the University of Delhi on Wednesday after 34 teachers of the Faculty of Technology were issued memorandums seeking explanations for allegedly being absent during the first one-and-a-half hours of the first day of the 2026-27 academic session, even as the university welcomed its new batch of undergraduate students.
Issued by the Faculty of Technology administration, the memorandum stated that the teachers were absent between 9:00 am and 10:30 am on July 28, the opening day of the new academic session, “without prior intimation/approval from the competent authority”.
Calling the matter serious, the administration directed the faculty members to submit a detailed written explanation for their absence by 5:00 pm the same day.
The memorandum further warned that failure to respond within the stipulated time, or submission of an “unsatisfactory explanation”, could be treated as a “serious administrative lapse” and may invite action under the relevant provisions of the University of Delhi rules and regulations. The communication was marked “Most Urgent.”
The move triggered sharp criticism from the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) and sections of the teaching community, who described the action as arbitrary and an attempt to intimidate faculty members.
In a statement, teachers’ representatives said they were “strongly opposed” to the issuance of memorandums to the 34 faculty members, calling the decision “arbitrary and autocratic” and contrary to academic values. They demanded that the memorandums be withdrawn.
