DU teachers end evaluation boycott after 55 days

Delhi University teachers today called off after 55 days their boycott of evaluation of undergraduate exams in protest against the new UGC norms to ascertain their academic performance.
The General Body (GB) of Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) today ratified the decision of the teachers to end the boycott, claiming that the ministry and UGC officials agreed to setting up a committee to consider their demands.
"The GB noted that negotiations have begun and the administration has agreed to our minimal demands of setting up a committee to resolve our long-standing issues. In this context, to continue a sustainable movement to ensure resolution of pending matters, the teachers resolved to withdraw the boycott of evaluations and boycott of Staff Council Committees," an official statement said.

Teachers were 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.
When the protest was started, DUTA had boycotted evaluation for all years and later extended it to even the admission process. Teachers lifted the boycott of evaluation for final-year students on by June 16 and decided to rejoin the admission process on July 5.
The new gazette notification had 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 had been increased from 14 to 22.

The teachers argued that alteration of work-load norms would have led to massive retrenchment, to the tune of 4,500 in teaching posts. That amendment has since been withdrawn. However, Narain says they will continue to fight against the academic performance indicator system of promotions for teachers "till it is completely withdrawn".