The Hindu : New Delhi News : UGC letter on DU teachers' strike stirs a hornet's nest

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 22, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

UGC letter on DU teachers' strike stirs a hornet's nest

The right to strike is clearly one that Delhi University teachers take rather seriously. Not surprising, then, that a recent letter from the University Grants Commission (UGC) to Delhi University suggesting a "no work, no pay" provision to deal with teachers and workers who went on strike on August 1 to express their solidarity with the Gurgaon Honda workers has stirred a hornet's nest.

Though no college implemented or even suggested that it planned to implement the suggestion, Wednesday saw the University's teachers express their disappointment in what they thought was the best possible way -- another protest.

Demonstrating outside the UGC office, teachers and karamcharis demanded that the UGC withdraw its letter and start a dialogue on the issues raised by them instead.

While pointing out that it is not only the right but responsibility of citizens in general to mark their protest against injustices perpetrated on fellow-citizens, the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) stated in a letter to UGC that "since this is essential to the healthy functioning of a democracy, teachers in particular are surely expected to inculcate the values of a democracy not only in the classroom but also through their own actions".

Noting that teachers have always compensated for the loss of teaching hours, the DUTA letter said:

"We are unable to understand the logic with which this provision has been invoked this time in regard to one-day strikes.

Was it singled out because it was in solidarity with striking trade unions? Though not stated in the letter, the suggestion is teachers should not have joined the popular protest against the police brutality committed on our fellow-citizens. This can only be interpreted as an attempt to attack our democratic rights as teachers and as citizens." But UGC is not the only one that believes teachers should not waste working days going on strike over issues that do not concern them directly.

Many college principals, too, admit that the increasing number of strikes is a matter of concern. "It is not that we are against the democratic rights of teachers. But they seem to have of late got into a habit of going on strike for every possible reason. The end result is that work suffers and students end up losing time. It is not fair," said the Principal of a reputed college.

And while they may not support the strikes, most also add that taking on teachers is not the way to go about it.

"Although we did not get any letter from the University about the UGC notification, there was no way we would have implemented it. There is no way you can offend the teachers like that if you want work done. Also, at the end of the day it is really their right to go on strike. Yes, it does affect the working and results in loss of time, but then stopping them from going on strike won't help," said another principal.

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The season of festivals and freshers' parties, it is action time on the campus this week. If Lady Shri Ram College continued with its golden jubilee celebrations with debates and prestigious lecture series, Kamala Nehru College is witnessing a journalism festival and a special programme in memory of the legendary writer Premchand.

While "Journo Junction", inaugurated on Tuesday, was filled with workshops, film screenings, videography workshops, interactive sessions and cultural events, the two-day seminar on

"Premchand in transition and translation" will open on Thursday. Also staged as part of the occasion will be a play, "Bade Bhai Saheb", by Jan Natya Manch.

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The Bioinformatics Institute of India (BII) recently introduced a postgraduate programme in Pharma Regulatory Affairs. Developed to educate professionals about the regulatory issues pertinent to the pharmaceutical and biological industry, the course is aimed at providing the in-depth knowledge required for a successful career in regulatory affairs.

With the curriculum covering topics like regulatory procedures in India, EU and USA, regulatory requirements and compliance for Drugs and Biologics, Good clinical, laboratory and manufacturing practices and compliance for adverse drug events among others, the course offers much scope.

A bachelor's degree in any discipline is the only eligibility for the 12-month course.

-- Lakshmi B. Ghosh

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