24 DU academic council members end sit-in protest

Twenty-four members of the Delhi University's Academic Council ended a sit-in protest they organised over a report of the UGC Regulations 2018 not being included in the agenda of the meeting, after talks with the varsity administration, sources said. The Delhi University's academic council meeting was adjourned on Wednesday after its members entered the well of the house.

A high-power committee was constituted to review the UGC regulations 2018 regarding service condition of teachers but the committee report was not placed in the agenda of the meeting, the sources said.

The committee had recommended absorption of ad-hoc teachers with immediate effect and the extension of other benefits like paid maternity leave to them, they added.

After the meeting was adjourned, AC members kept on sitting in protest and on Thursday met the varsity's pro vice-chancellor who assured them that the committee report and the UGC regulations will be sent to all the members for their feedback and a meeting will be held soon to discuss both, the sources said. They said the meeting is likely to be held in a week's time.

Meanwhile, the Delhi University Teachers' Association called for a University shutdown on January 8 and 9 to press for its demands and condemn the alleged downgrading of the working conditions of teachers in public-funded institutions.

"The DUTA unequivocally condemns the recalcitrant attitude of the VC for stubbornly refusing to place the report of his own committee set up to facilitate the adoption of the UGC Regulations," the DUTA said in a statement.

The DUTA also condemns the "insensitive" behaviour of the University Administration in refusing to allow blankets, medicines and food for the members staging the overnight sit-in, they added.

The principled position taken by the elected members forced the pro VC and the registrar to meet them in a reconciliatory attempt to resolve the stalemate. Some headway was made with the Officials agreeing to consider taking the matter back to the Regulations Committee and redrafting appropriate amendments to the relevant ordinances in the light of the UGC Regulations 2018, the DUTA said.