Students, teachers march to protest against graded autonomy scheme

A large section of students and professors of central universities and Delhi University today took a protest march from Mandi House to Parliament Street against autonomous status granted to universities.

The march, organised by Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) and Federation of Central Universities' Teachers' Associations (FEDCUTA) culminated in a protest meet on Parliament Street.

Addressing the gathering, CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat said education policies of Modi government intends to end reservations in higher education.

"This is done by those people who talk about progress in the society. Government is trying to destroy top universities and such effort will end social justice," Karat said.

Commenting about the autonomy given to universities, she said that autonomy given to universities is to ensure that they start courses that fetches more money and give reservation to foreign students.

The CPI (M) leader during the protest also demanded arrest and suspension of accused JNU professor Atul Johri as well as restoration of the Gender Sensitisation Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) in the university.

Congress MP Sushmita Dev and AAP MP Sanjay Singh also protested along with various students and teachers.

DU Students Union president Rocky Tuseed said the autonomy granted to universities was a step taken keeping in mind students from economically stronger sections, whereas the JNUSU president Geeta Kumari said that the government has appointed abiding VCs to ensure the reservation policy in varsities are abolished.

The protesters also demanded the universities to follow 'Vishakha Guidelines' to full extent to end sexual harassment on campuses.

Notably, the Vishakha guidlines laid down the requirements for employers dealing with complaints of sexual assault and stipulated the formation of committees to dispose of complaints from victims of harassment.