• Teachers strongly opposed the Higher Education Commission Bill being introduced in Parliament to replace the UGC.
  • DUTA demanded full counting of teachers’ previous service, continuity of Ph.D./M.Phil. salary increments, provision of EWS quota posts, and research grants.

The Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) staged a sit-in at the UGC office on Tuesday, the second day, following a demonstration at Jantar Mantar, to press for resolutions to their long-pending demands. From 9:30 AM, teachers began gathering, and by 10 AM, hundreds of teachers had assembled, organizing a massive protest. During the three-hour protest, teachers from various colleges shared their views on the pending demands. The protest was led by DUTA President Prof. V.S. Negi. Numerous teachers addressed the protest, including Prof. Vimlendu Tirthankar, EC member Dr. Sunil Sharma, Prof. Hansraj Suman, Dr. K.M. Vats, Dr. Jagbir Singh, Dr. Anil Kumar. Dr. Premchand, Dr. Chaman Singh, Dr. Vivek Rajak, and others. All the teachers opposed the Higher Education Commission Bill being introduced in Parliament in place of the UGC and stated that before creating the Higher Education Commission, they should meet teachers across the country and provide complete information about it. After the protest, the DUTA delegation submitted a memorandum to the UGC Chairman and had an almost one-hour constructive discussion with the teachers and assured that all these issues would be addressed in the UGC Regulation-2026.

  Addressing the teachers, DUTA President Prof. V.S. Negi expressed deep concern over many long-pending unresolved issues, which include crediting the entire previous ad-hoc service for promotion, continuity of Ph.D./M.Phil. salary increments, restoration of the old pension scheme, and the continuous shortfall in sanctioned teaching posts, research grants, and infrastructure funding—all of which are necessary for the implementation of the fourth-year undergraduate curriculum framework under the National Education Policy 2020. He also reiterated that effective academic reform is impossible without empowerment. There is still a shortage of teachers, resources, and institutional capacity in colleges. Prof. Negi stated that in the protest held at the UGC, apart from senior faculty members, members of the Academic Council and the Executive Council participated in the protest and emphasized the urgent need to publicly release the Draft Higher Education Commission of India Bill. Following this, the need for authentic stakeholder consultation was also stressed so that government structures, recruitment standards, service conditions, and public financial support could be safeguarded. He also demanded the immediate approval of the committed 25 percent EWS expansion posts.

             Media co-coordinator Prof. Hansraj Suman stated that besides this, DUTA called for the implementation of reservation in principal posts, special recruitment drives to fill second tranche posts for backward classes, particularly vacant positions, equality in salaries and retirement age of librarians, rectification of inconsistencies in the retirement age of physical education teachers, and swift implementation of promotion schemes for OMSP trainers and computer programmers demanded action. They also stated that they opposed unsuitable or inappropriate decisions. They urged strict adherence to the screening criteria set by the UGC and also demanded the reversal of the fee increase related to the HIFA loan. Additionally, DUTA has appealed to the Ministry of Education and requested the UGC to act without delay and resolve these long-standing issues to ensure academic integrity, service conditions, and security at Delhi University.

Prof. Hansraj Suman, Media Co-Coordinator, Phone–9717114595 (Professor V.S. Negi) President, DUTA (Prof. Bimlendu Tirthankar) Secretary,.