Smriti Irani visits Hindu College

Hon’ble Minister of Human Resources and Development Smt Smriti Irani visited Hindu College Hostel to fulfill her promise made to a PWD student Mr. Sandeep on 1st June in a show organized at Khalsa College. The student had a grievance regarding waiver of Hostel fees and mess charges as specified in the policy meant for this category of students. The issue has its origin in the fact that the governing body of Hindu College, despite repeated written requests and representation by the warden, has not reimbursed the amount of the fee waived in the last three years. As per the advisory of the University circular no Aca.I/082/PWD/2013/668 dated April 4, 2014 the governing body must meet this expenditure through funds available in the college. Currently, the amount outstanding under this head is Rs. 7,19,313. As the minister stood in the sun talking to the student, she also met the DUTA office bearers and other teachers of Hindu College who apprised her of the high-handedness of Hindu College governing body and how the teachers are being penalized in a vindictive and arbitrary manner, for raising issues of financial and administrative irregularities, and gave her a copy of the DUTA representation to the visitor on this matter. The DUTA President also submitted representations on the controversial Point Based Appraisal System (API), the denial of pensions to retiring DU employees for the last ten months and the forced implementation of Choice Based Credit System without any discussion, scrutiny or preparation. Representations on the misgovernance of College of Vocational studies and Kirori Mal College were also submitted to her.

The minister assured that she will mark the representation regarding Hindu College to the governing body and seek its responses. She said that the DUTA and other teachers’ associations will be invited to represent before the Committee set up to review point system of promotion for teachers. On the issue of implementation of CBCS, the minister maintained that in the meetings with the vice chancellors of universities, the vice chancellors were asked to take a feedback from teachers. She was apprised of how discussion was not allowed in the Academic Council of 21 January 2015 and in the 28 May 2015 meeting of the Executive Council where a one liner resolution to implement CBCS was passed with almost all elected members dissenting. In these meetings, the DU administration had maintained that the scheme had to be implemented without discussion as it was being dictated by the UGC and MHRD. Responding to this, she assured that she would invite teachers of Delhi University to discuss CBCS in next few days.

The DUTA President and Staff Association Hindu College also presented Smt Irani with the “Freedom Badge” which DUTA had brought out in defence of free speech and in support of the victimised teachers of Hindu College.

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