DU teachers to continue with evaluation boycott till June 7

The boycott of undergraduate exams evaluation by Delhi University teachers in protest against the new UGC criteria to ascertain their academic performance, entered its tenth day today and will continue till June 7.
The teachers had initially called for a four-day boycott beginning May 24, which was further extended till today but it was decided in a General Body meeting of Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) to continue with the boycott till June 7.
The representatives of DUTA will meet UGC officials for consultations over the issue on June 6 while the remaining teachers will stage a protest outside the commission's office.

The teachers are protesting against amendments to UGC regulations that, they argue, will lead to job-cuts to the tune of 50 per cent and drastically increase pupil-teacher ratio in higher education.
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.
While the HRD Ministry had last week defended the new UGC criteria for Academic Performance Indicators for college and university teachers, saying it provides "more flexibility" even as it ruled out any possibility of reduction in number of teaching jobs, it has instructed the UGC to review the same.

The University Grants Commission has decided to organise a consultation with stakeholders including representatives from teachers associations across the country over the issue on June 6.