Delhi University witnessed total shutdown on Wednesday

DU halts as teachers and karamcharis strike work against the negative recommendations of 7th Pay Revision

In response to the DUTA's call for Strike on 7th Feb, 2018, the Delhi University witnessed total shutdown of its colleges with teachers observing Strike to protest against the retrograde recommendations of the 7th Pay Revision. Empty classrooms, empty staff rooms and empty department rooms became a familiar sight today in colleges across the University as teachers expressed their anger over the inordinate delay in the implementation of the 7th CPC. DUCKU, the Karamchari Union at DU, also observed Strike today against the negative recommendations for the non-teaching employees.

One of the most draconian recommendations of the 7th CPC is the point 18 which categorically states that the revised pay of teachers in the colleges and the Universities is subject to the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Finance (Department of Education) vide OM No. 1/1/2016-E.III(A) dated 13.01.2017. The said Office Memorandum states that the Central Universities will get only 70% of the enhanced financial burden and they need to generate the remaining 30% on their own. The DUTA demands a complete rollback of this 70-30% model of funding as this disastrous push towards privatisation and contractualisation will make quality education out of the reach of the economically deprived and socially underprivileged students including those belonging to the SC, ST and OBC.

The 7th CPC notification is full of anti-teacher provisions. The withdrawal of advanced M.Phil and Ph.D increments has disappointed and demoralised the teaching cadre. This will act as an  disincentive for research and faculty development. There has been downgrading of Assistant Professor at every level. Besides creating disparity between teachers and All India Services, this pay notification delinks our allowances from the Central Government employees. Moreover, this pay hike records the lowest post-independence hike for incumbent teachers with a measly rise from 17.35 to 23.01%. It is also shocking that the MHRD notification gives no reference to the revised pension benefits.

The DUTA demands the resolution of anomalies of the 6th CPC, no stagnation of Associate Professors, Professors and Principals, promotion to Professorship in colleges, scrapping of API, time-bound promotions, no retrospective application of API, counting of past service, immediate notification of the new pension in the 7th CPC and 100% central assistance to all educational institutions.

The DUTA will intensify its agitation in the coming few days if the issues are not resolved at the earliest. The DUTA calls for a Halla Bol at UGC on 8.02.2018 from 12 to 3 with classes suspended from 11 AM.  Representatives from other Central Universities in Delhi will also join the protest at the UGC. In coming days, the DUTA will reach out to students and parents to build a joint movement in defence of public funded higher education.