Why the teachers want Delhi University to be closed on January 8 and 9

The elected members of the Delhi University Teachers' Association have called for a shut down of the university for two days - January 8 and 9, to voice its demands, ranging from appointments to allowances. In a meeting held on Thursday evening, the association took a unanimous decision, with the support of the students' groups, including the DU Students' Union.

"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," said the association in a press release. We reached out to the association's president Rajib Ray to find out more about the issue. "There are many issues involved. One is the UGC regulations and the required ordinances. There are issues revolving promotion, pension, the appointment of teachers and allowances not being given," he says. 

He also said that the faculty hasn't received their allowances for the past two years. "Nearly two years are over and teachers are yet to get the allowances. Definitely, the ignition to this course was the adjournment of the academic council meeting in which the VC did not place the draft for the amended ordinances which is absolutely necessary. There are other issues too. It has largely to do with the UGC regulations," he adds. 

He accused the university and the MHRD of playing a blame game for two years and hence not releasing the allowance that the faculty deserves. "The kind of callous and inefficient methods in which the university is moving triggered us towards this move. There issues in the side of the MHRD and the UGC. Prakash Javadekar recently said that the dues will be cleared soon. But we're hearing this for the past two years," says Ray. 

The association also raised a point of the administration refusing to allow blankets, medicines and food for the members who staged an overnight sit-in at the premises recently.