DUTA / FEDCUTA call off agitation

Following the clarification issued on 19.2.2009 by the UGC on its Draft Notification, the DUTA Executive met on 20 February. The Executive decided by majority to call off the demonstration scheduled for 24 February at the UGC.  DTF members on the Executive had opposed this move and proposed an alternate resolution, which was defeated.  Later on the same day, the FEDCUTA Executive endorsed the withdrawal of the demonstration despite some members including Amar Deo Sharma arguing against it. The texts of the alternate resolution moved by the DTF members in the DUTA Executive meeting and the dissent note submitted by Amar Deo Sharma in the FEDCUTA Executive meeting are given below:

Resolution moved by DTF members in the DUTA Executive meeting on 20.2.2009

The DUTA Executive congratulates teachers for making the two days strike action completely successful. The UGC has been forced to make inescapable corrections with regard to incumbent and existing Readers and Lecturers in Selection grade. The need, therefore, is to make the demonstration at the UGC scheduled for February 24, 2009 a success so that the UGC does not dare to impose fresh/additional eligibility conditions (such as PASS) for upward movements/promotions of teachers and undermine academic autonomy of universities through UGC experts.

The DUTA Executive also resolves to take up the unfulfilled demands related to the MHRD so that people at large can be told about the plight of the teaching profession. This would force the Government and the UGC to make positive corrections and refrain from making service conditions worse.

Dissent given by Amar Deo Sharma in FEDCUTA meeting on 20.2.2009

As a member of the FEDCUTA executive, I wish to express my dissent on the resolution placed on 20.2.09 for withdrawal of action programme (demonstration at the UGC on 24.2.09) as the clarification given by the UGC does not refer to any of the negative conditionalities/service conditions. Since the UGC is in the process of making the regulations, I feel it is essential to put pressure through participatory action so that the UGC does not dare impose fresh conditions for upward mobility/promotions of teachers and undermine the academic autonomy of universities through UGC experts.