Duta takes out march to HRD ministry office

Continuing with its agitation, the Delhi University Teachers’ Association took out a march from Mandi House to Union HRD ministry on Friday to demand a complete rollback of the academic performance index (API) and the job cuts of adhoc teachers.

The teachers will continue their the boycott of evaluation of examinations till next week.

However, the Delhi police stopped the teachers’ demonstration, following which some of the protesters were taken to the Parliament Street police station, but they were released later.

“I congratulate the spirit of thousands of teachers to march in the scorching heat of mid-June showing their firm resolve to defeat the sinister design of the Union HRD ministry to demolish the public-funded institutions of higher learning. The present establishment has shown the highest degree of insensitivity towards the core issues of the teachers to refuse to rollback job cuts and API — performance-based appraisal system (PBAS),” said Academics for Action and Development chairperson Dr Aditya Narayan Misra.

“We have decided to continue with the boycott of the evaluation. We will remain vigilant against the misinformation campaign and divisive tactics resorted to by the government and its friendly organisations,” he added.

“Thousands of teachers from across the country took part in the Kali Patti March and even got arrested. This means that the government has added a black text in the chapter of the Indian democracy. From the militancy of our colleagues it is clear that we are winning this summer,” said a DU professor.