AMU teachers charge no space for healthy dissent at varsity

The Aligarh Muslim University Teachers Association (AMUTA) has alleged that there was no space left for healthy dissent at the institution, a charge dismissed by the authorities.
AMUTA, which held a special meeting of its general body yesterday expressed serious alarm over recent attempts to 'crush' any sort of healthy debate within the teaching community by the university authorities.
The teachers body passed a resolution criticising the practice of suspending teachers without conducting a proper enquiry.
The resolution cited the cases of two senior faculty members, who had been suspended during the few months, before conducting any enquiry into charges against them.

"If the authorities do not respond to our demand and fail to take corrective measures then we will decide on future course of action," AMUTA secretary Aftab Alam told reporters.
It also described the current practice of sealing the chambers of suspended teachers as an humiliating practice which would adversely affect the morale of teachers and lower teaching standards at the university.

The AMUTA expressed serious concern over reports of gross violation of rules during recent admissions at the university and demanded setting up of a high powered enquiry committee to investigate such violations.
The AMU authorities when contacted for their reaction to the allegations, dismissed them.

"All democratic institutions in the university are functioning well and elections for the students' unions are also scheduled to be held shortly," AMU spokesman Rahat Abrar said.
"Action against the two suspended teachers has been taken on the basis of prima facie evidence that they had violated the code of conduct of the varsity and had maligned its image," he added.
The spokesman totally denied any irregularities in the admission process.
"The admission procedure was transparent," he added.