DTF elects new leadership

The Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) held its General Body Meeting on 21 November to elect a new leadership. Ever since its founding almost four decades ago, the DTF has remained committed to the vision of a secular, democratic, public-funded, quality education that is able to fulfill the legitimate aspirations for education of the people of this country, in particular of the underprivileged and oppressed sections of our society. It has spearheaded many struggles in pursuit of this goal and has been successful in creating joint forums along with students, trade unions, women organizations and in creating creative forms of protests to strengthen democratic struggles of students, teachers and non-teaching staff.

The central role of the teacher in the teaching-learning process and the need to draw and sustain talent in the teaching profession have been one of the DTF’s primary concerns and have been the driving force of the many struggles it has led for improvement of teachers’ service conditions, including those for appropriate pay scales, promotional avenues, pension and an end to contractualisation through permanent appointments against all vacant teaching posts.

DTF members have been elected to lead the DUTA many times. In recent times, they have been leading the DUTA continuously since 2011. The DTF has steered the teachers’ movement to significant victories on the issues of FYUP, pensions for retired teachers, teachers’ workload and the job-security of ad hoc teachers.

The newly-elected Office-bearers are:

President:
Shaswati Mazumdar (Former DUTA President)

Secretary:
Abha Dev Habib (EC Member, DU)

Vice-Presidents:
1. Rajib Ray (Former EC Member, DU)
2. Rajeev Kunwar (Former DUTA Executive)
3. Sheo Dutt (Former AC Member, DU)

Joint Secretaries:
1. Renu Bala (Former AC member, DU)
2. Bhupinder Chaudhry (Treasurer, DUTA)
3. Giriraj Bairwa (Former DUTA Executive)

Treasurer:
Vijaya Venkataraman (DUTA Executive)

All these prominent activists have also been instrumental in organising struggles against the WTO-dictated policy measures to raise the costs of higher education and shift educational resources from public to private hands.

The new leadership infuses vigour, intensity and direction to the DTF’s continuous efforts to combat divisive and authoritarian forces in the University in order to help sustain a united teachers’ movement built on the foundations of academic democratisation, equity and social justice.

Shaswati Mazumdar President

Abha Dev Habib Secretary