The Democratic Teachers’ Front in its General Body meeting on 24 November 2010 took stock of the grave challenges facing higher education in the country as well as in the University of Delhi. It took serious note of the developments in the University over the last two years. There has been a systematic attack on democratic spaces with an increasing disregard for discussion and debate in the major decision making bodies of the University. Continuous violations of the Act, Statutes and Ordinances by the former VC to impose semester ystem at the UG level became the norm with the active connivance of the MHRD. This is to prepare ground for implementation of the dangerous policy of the Government to privatise higher education. This government, committed to join the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) under the WTO, is pushing the agenda of commercialising higher education. Public funded institutions are being pushed toward commercialisation through semester system to facilitate inter-institution credit transfer and rating of all by NAAC and such agencies. Fragmentation of existing Universities is yet another Government agenda which has already been seen in DU with the conversion of DCE to DTU and the threat of more Delhi government colleges following suit.

The DU administration imposed a new semester system denying debate and discussion on the feasibility and desirability of the semester system for the UG structure at DU. The hurried and mindless imposition of a new system without due deliberations cannot work in favour of academic standards, students and teachers. It is rather unfortunate that instead of solving the issue with the teachers, the DU administration is looking towards the Court for solutions.

These elections are taking place against this backdrop. It is time to find new and innovative ways to increase our ability to resist such changes and ‘reforms’ which pose a threat to academic standards,equal access to education and the federal character of the University.

In order to ensure presentation of the teachers’ view with commitment in the Academic Council and the Executive Council and to continue the tradition of resistance in the benefit of the academic life of the University, the DTF has decided to field the following candidates for the EC and AC election to be held on 16 December 2010: