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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
DU panel meets to conduct periodic review of employees under CCS
Delhi University's (DU) Executive Council (EC), in their May 23 meeting, had decided to constitute a committee to conduct periodic review of employees under Central Civil Services (CCS) Fundamental Rules (FR) 56 (j), as per a notification by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions, Government of India. DU panel meets to conduct periodic review of employees under CCS The committee had its first meeting on Monday and is set to reconvene on July 10, amid severe criticism from DU professors. 'This notification pertains to the central government employees who are governed by CCS. Since the University employees are not governed by CCS, it cannot be applied in the University of Delhi. The said DoPT notification of periodic review has not even been forwarded by the nodal agencies like the Ministry of Education or the University Grants Commission (UGC),' said Rudrashish Chakraborty, associate professor of English, Kirori Mal College. The CCS (CCA) rules, 1965, also known as the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) rules, govern the disciplinary proceedings and appeal processes for 'civil servants in India'. These rules outline the procedures for penalties and handling appeals against those penalties, besides also addressing issues like suspension, inquiries and the rights of government employees during disciplinary actions, thus ensuring fairness and transparency during those proceedings. Teachers expressed concern over the university administration's haste to implement the same, and pointed out that DU had been established by an Act of Parliament and it has the autonomy to decide on the professional ethics of its employees. 'Hence adopting the CCS rules of periodic review for University employees not only over-rides the authority of the EC but also undermines the autonomy of the University,' several professors pointed out. Chakraborty added, 'The notification stipulates periodic review only for employees attaining 50 years of age or above, implying that only the senior employees or officers are subject to review. This barrier based on age defies logic and is an attempt to vitiate the professional space of the workplace.' Mithuraaj Dhusiya, an elected EC member, in his note of concern submitted to the committee, mentioned, 'It is pertinent to mention here that the University of Delhi has refused to adopt pro-employee notifications of the Central Government including the revised NPS (New Pension Scheme) 2021…the inordinate haste by the University administration to adopt the DoPT notification….without the required approval of MoE and UGC exposes its anti-employee character and suggests its malafide intention to create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation for the University employees.'
Hindustan Times
25-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
DU faculty worried about workload, infra gaps ahead of fourth year roll-out
As Delhi University readies for its first batch of fourth-year undergraduate students, teachers are raising red flags over mounting workload and insufficient support. With the seventh and eighth semesters set to begin between late July and early August under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) 2022, faculty members said the university is pushing ahead without a realistic assessment of teaching capacity or infrastructure needs. DU faculty worried about workload, infra gaps ahead of fourth year roll-out A major concern, they alleged, is the growing mismatch between sanctioned teaching hours and the number of hours now required due to the additional academic year. 'In some of our department meetings, we realised there's a huge shortfall,' said a faculty member from the geography department of a prominent DU college, requesting anonymity. 'Our department has around 194–196 sanctioned hours. But with the fourth year included, we now need about 289 hours.' DU is considering deploying guest faculty to help manage the extra teaching load. However, the number of guest teachers allowed is limited. According to a 2019 University Grants Commission (UGC) guideline, guest faculty can only be appointed against sanctioned posts, with an allowance of up to 20% additional appointments over the sanctioned limit. This buffer of 20%, many teachers say, is already exhausted in most colleges. 'When a permanent faculty member goes on leave—maternity or study—their position is filled by a guest teacher and paid from that 20%,' said Rudrashish Chakraborty, associate professor of English at Kirori Mal College. 'That effectively reduces the available guest faculty quota. Now, with a sharp increase in teaching load, we're already falling short of teachers.' Under the UGCF 2022 framework, each of the two upcoming semesters will carry 22 credits. One theory or tutorial credit equals one hour, while a practical credit equals two hours. Teachers say that while there is no clarity yet on how the dissertation in the fourth year will be factored into the workload of teachers, it still adds to the burden. 'There's been no formal feasibility assessment. The university appears to be adding an entire year without a plan,' Chakraborty said. The Teaching Programme Committee (TPC), which met on June 10 at Daulat Ram College, further compounded concerns by instructing departments to manage the additional load internally. 'No extra hands will be given for the upcoming fourth-year course,' the committee noted. DU vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh has said all students completing the third year will be automatically promoted to the fourth year unless they choose to exit early and inform their colleges. 'Colleges are allowed to appoint guest faculty as per UGC norms. And more importantly, if the situation demands, the university will step in to fund the additional guest faculty required,' he said. Abha Dev Habib, a physics faculty member from Miranda House, said, 'If the university is saying that all students graduating from third year will automatically move forward to the fourth year, that would mean colleges and departments must have the infrastructure as well as the teaching strength to support an additional year—along with research, which is supposed to be the focus of the fourth year.' 'Parts of the 20% sanction have already been used by several departments, colleges like Daulat Ram are saying no extra help will be provided, and we lack proper infrastructure. The growing anxiety is quite justified,' Habib added.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Panel To Study Feasibility Of Periodic Reviews Of DU Staff
New Delhi: Delhi University has set up a nine-member committee to examine the feasibility of implementing periodic performance reviews of its employees. This is in line with a central govt notification that allows premature retirement of staff deemed underperforming or lacking integrity. The panel, headed by executive council (EC) member Indra Mohan Kapahi, will assess whether such a policy can be adopted within the university framework. The proposal, tabled during the EC meeting on Friday, referred to an office memorandum issued by the department of personnel and training in June 2024. The memorandum lays down guidelines for quarterly reviews of central govt employees—including those working in autonomous bodies and statutory institutions—with a report to be submitted each month on staff identified as ineffective or of "doubtful integrity. " The rules permit premature retirement in public interest for employees aged 50 or 55, or those who have completed 30 years of service. While university officials say the move is aimed at strengthening administration, sections of the teaching community have raised red flags, alleging that such provisions may be misused to target dissenters. "The university administration has overstepped its authority by attempting to adopt the DoPT circular without clearance from the ministry of education or UGC. This raises serious concerns about procedural violations and the motive behind such haste," said Rudrashish Chakraborty, executive member of Delhi University Teachers' Association and associate professor at Kirori Mal College. Mithuraj Dhusiya, a former EC member, submitted a dissent note arguing that the memorandum applies only to central govt employees under the Central Civil Services Rules, which do not govern DU staff. "The notification has not even been officially forwarded to universities, making the administration's urgency highly questionable," he wrote. Maya John, member of the DU academic council, echoed similar concerns during a protest organised by DUTA outside the EC meeting venue. She alleged that the criteria listed in the memorandum—such as "doubtful integrity" and "ineffectiveness"—are vague and susceptible to misuse. "This conflation of teaching staff with central govt employees violates DU's institutional autonomy and risks creating a culture of fear and compliance," she said. EC member Aman Kumar also objected, noting that DU already has robust mechanisms for staff evaluation, including annual performance appraisal reports, the UGC's career advancement scheme, and annual departmental reviews. "The imposition of additional layers through central administrative procedures is unwarranted and threatens academic freedom," he said. The committee's recommendations are expected to be tabled in a future EC meeting. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Hindustan Times
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Delhi University's EC clears all curriculum changes amid faculty dissent
The Executive Council (EC) of Delhi University (DU) on Friday approved several changes to departmental curricula and other academic matters based on recommendations made by its standing committee on academic affairs, despite opposition from elected members and concerns over academic autonomy. The revisions follow recommendations by the standing committee on academic affairs and had earlier received assent from the Academic Council (AC). Departments affected include Psychology, Sociology, and History. In Psychology, topics such as sexual orientation, dating apps, caste and religious identity, Kashmir, and the Israel-Palestine conflict were reportedly marked for removal. In their place, the committee proposed the inclusion of the Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita to explore the 'psychology of peace.' 'After considering the recommendations made in the DU Academic Council meeting held on May 10, the curriculum of various departments and programmes were also approved by the EC,' said a university official, requesting anonymity. The standing committee had earlier cleared these revisions over three meetings on May 2, 6, and 8. However, those meetings were marked by dissent from faculty members, including department heads, who alleged interference and a lack of disciplinary expertise on the committee. Mithuraaj Dhusiya, an elected EC member, submitted a dissent note during Friday's meeting, criticising the process. 'The conduct of the three meetings… in the run-up to the AC meeting clearly undermined the autonomy of the departments. The university officials, none of whom have expertise in disciplines like Psychology, Philosophy, Sociology and History, directed HoDs of these departments to make changes in various papers which are arbitrary, unacademic and out of sync with the overall learning objectives,' the note read. The EC also addressed the contentious issue of determining teacher seniority within departments. DU clarified in a statement that when relative qualifications are equal, seniority will now be based on age. If age is also identical, it will be determined using the Academic Performance Indicator (API) score. However, the proposed reliance on API scores drew criticism from faculty. 'DU is trying to use the API score to determine seniority of teachers in case of a tie between teachers across categories. It is pertinent to mention here that the selection of teachers across colleges and the University departments did not happen as per API score. The final selection of candidates happened because of 100% weightage given to the selection committee,' said a DU Teachers' Association member, Rudrashish Chakraborty. Other decisions approved at the meeting include the introduction of a BSc in Nuclear Medicine Technology at Army Hospital (R&R), Delhi Cantt, under the Faculty of Medical Sciences. Additionally, the MA Journalism programme will now be jointly offered by the Hindi and English departments.
