Delhi University teachers today continued with boycott of evaluation of undergraduate exams for the second day in protest against the new UGC criteria to ascertain the academic performance of the faculty members.
Twelve evaluation centres of the university remained close today as well as the teachers refused to accept the clarification by HRD ministry over the new rules saying the workload will not increase.
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.
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However, the HRD ministry yesterday defended the new UGC criteria for Academic Performance Indicators (API) for college and university teachers, saying it provides "more flexibility" even as it ruled out any possibility of reduction in number of teaching jobs.
"The clarification is not only deceptive but is an attempt to divert the issue raised by teachers about workload and promotions," an agitating teacher said.
"We will continue with our protest for two more days and the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) will convene a general body meeting on May 28 to review the situation and decide future course of action," he added.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party today attacked the HRD Ministry over the new circular saying the NDA government is following "failed policy" of UPA and is planning to harass DU teachers by increasing their working hours.
"The Modi government is trying to impose the decision of previous Congress-led UPA government to introduce points system for promotion of DU teachers, which the former HRD Minister Kapil Sibal could not due to stiff opposition from faculty," AAP said in a statement.
"The latest UGC notification appears to have been brought with the sole intention of not filling up the large number of vacant teaching posts in the colleges of DU," it added.
