DU teachers protest outside UGC against API evaluation scores

Scores of Delhi University teachers today staged a protest outside University Grants Commission against the Academic Performance Indicators (API), for evaluation of performance of academicians and demanded setting up of pay review committee for them.
The teachers, who carried umbrellas with messages written on them, submitted a memorandum of their demands to UGC.
"It is unfortunate that despite widespread criticism of the Point Based Appraisal System (PBAS), there is an attempt to retain this irrational quantification of quality of teaching.
"The committee recommendations in this regard should be shared in public domain and UGC should invite feedback from teachers' bodies on the new proposal. Decisions that would have far-reaching consequences for teachers across the country with diverse and heterogeneous contexts must not be taken without a threadbare discussion on the implications," the memorandum said.

Other demands highlighted by the agitating teachers included retrospective implementation of Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) 2010, counting of past services for promotion, setting up of pay review committee for teachers, among others.
"Deteriorating working conditions, ever-increasing contractualisation and adhocism, delay in promotions and denial of pension has adversely impacted state and central universities.
"Delay and denial of promotions because of API/PBAS has become one of the major issues behind demotivation of teachers and exodus of highly-qualified and experienced faculty," the memorandum added.
A committee had been constituted by HRD Ministry last year, under the chairmanship of former UGC chairman Arun Nigvekar, to evaluate the API regarding the entry point and career advancement of teachers and certain changes were made based on its recommendations.