DU teachers divided over evaluation, admission boycott

DU teachers were today divided over the boycott of evaluation and admission process since May 24 in protest against new UGC norms to ascertain their academic performance.
Teachers have been boycotting evaluation of UG examinations since May 24 in protest against amendments to UGC regulations that, they argue, will lead to job-cuts to the tune of 50 per cent and drastically decrease pupil-teacher ratio in higher education. The boycott was later extended to undergraduate admission process as well.
However, a section of teachers today opposed the move saying it may jeopardise career of students.
"The teachers noticed that the career of many students have been put under jeopardy due to the continuing evaluation boycott and students are making desperate calls to their teachers to know about the development in this regard.

"We express dismay and displeasure over the manner in which teachers' strike is continuing without paying any heed to the difficulties that students and parents are facing due to the dissociation call of DUTA...An admission boycott call can in no way be justified," a statement said.
The new gazette notification has increased the workload for assistant professors from 16 hours of "direct teaching" per week (including tutorials) to 18 hours, plus another six of tutorials, bringing the total up to 24 hours. Similarly the work hours of associate professors have been increased from 14 to 22.
Terming it to be an "unethical" mode of protest, students had urged the teachers to end the boycott fearing delay in results following which the faculty members had decided to end the boycott for final year students.

"Delay in the result of first and second year students will also hamper the workload adjustments and calculations as this will be required to make a case for continuation of adhoc teachers. Teachers decided to give a call to other fellows to start participating in the admission and evaluation process," statement from a group of 200 faculty members said.