Re: EC Meeting held on 25 March 2013

The DTF is shocked by the manner in which the Vice-Chancellor conducted the EC meeting on 25 March 2013. On the agenda item relating to confirmation of minutes of the EC meeting of 3 November 2012, Rajib Ray a former elected member of the Executive Council had requested the Vice-Chancellor in writing to correct the recording of minutes on three resolutions (Resolution No. 53, 54, 54A and 104). Resolution 53 related to amendments to Ordinances XIIB and XIID to abolish the right of the AC to select persons as Honorary Professors and Professor Emeritus. Resolution 54 introduced an to arbitrary system to decide the amount of honorarium to be paid to persons invited on contract to the Cluster Innovation Centre. Resolution 104 authorised the VC ”to take all measures, as he may deem fit, to ensure due presence of teaching and non-teaching employees of the University and its Colleges at their respective work place.” In effect, the Executive Council abdicated its responsibility and authority. Ironically, the Executive Council, while deliberating on the same matter had rejected the bureaucratic method of teachers marking their attendance and had directed the VC on 23.12.2009 to constitute a Committee which was to recommend appropriate steps based on the DUTA Document of 2000 titled ”Academic Reforms and Curbing Absenteeism”. Authorising the VC “to take all measures, as he may deem fit”, though he had not shown any seriousness and had failed to carry out the task entrusted to him, showed that the EC had been reduced from an Authority of the University to a rubber-stamping body to please the Vice-Chancellor.

In a letter written to the VC on 24.3.2013, Rajib Ray pointed out that his disagreement on the said resolutions did not find place in the minutes presented to the EC meeting of 25 March 2013. In this letter, he also reminded the VC that he was forced to write a letter to him on 5 November 2012 reiterating his dissent on the attendance issue relating to Resolution No. 104 following reports in certain sections of the media that the resolution was unanimous. Instead of making the required corrections, the VC and his officials moved a resolution condemning Rajib Ray. The adoption of the resolution with only two members, Abha Dev Habib and Ajay Kumar, expressing their opposition marks a shocking and low point in the functioning of the Executive Council, which in the recent past has been enthusiastically approving decisions even when it has not been given adequate time to even peruse the agenda items, let alone for reflection and deliberation.

The DTF condemns the brazen manner in which the VC conducted the meeting. It is yet another example of the intimidatory tactics adopted by the administration to browbeat and silence any voice of dissent or difference of opinion on issues related to University governance, academic functioning and welfare of teachers/ students. The DTF demands a Visitorial inquiry into the functioning of the VC and the authoritative bodies such as the EC and the AC over the past few years. Such functioning is destroying the University since repeatedly decisions are being taken in haste without adequate time for deliberation and reflection.

The DTF demands that EC and AC meetings be video recorded and that the videos be made available on the Delhi University website. This will expose the functioning of the University administration to public scrutiny and increase accountability.