for the confidence you have reposed in its panel of candidates in the DUTA elections held on 29 August 2013.

The DTF salutes teachers for turning up in large numbers despite odds and asserting that the DUTA will not become subservient to the administration. The decisive choice teachers have made in electing Nandita Narain as the DUTA President reflects this determination to represent the interests of education and the teaching profession through their collective body.

Teachers have expressed their clear disapproval of the destructive academic restructuring in form of semesterization and FYUP. They have also rejected the policy of not filling up permanent positions, denial of opportunity to be considered for recruitment and disastrous changes in service and working conditions. They have expressed their desire for restoration of an environment in which policy decisions are based on dialogue, debate and free and fearless exchange of ideas.

The DTF congratulates all elected members and urges them to unitedly and purposefully express and act upon the collective opinion of the teaching community in favour of ending contractualisation and advancing the interests of teachers and students.

The DTF urges the administration to come forward for a dialogue with an open mind so that the University of Delhi fulfils its role towards excellence and equity. The shortsighted assault on public-funded institutions in order to facilitate privatisation and commercialisation, specifically for US edu-business, must be defeated.