Teachers, students march in Delhi against 13-point roster system

New Delhi: A large section of teachers, students, and research scholars from several universities, marched from Mandi House to Parliament street, Delhi, demanding that an ordinance to restore the 200-point roster in faculty recruiting be brought out. While alleging that 13-point roster system would mean a reduction in the number of seats reserved for the SC/ST and OBC candidates. "The government is doing injustice to us. This move is to completely push out the students from reserved categories, while on the other hand, they are giving a 10 percent reservation to the upper castes. This is the best example of the caste ideology that dictates the politics of BJP," said Vidya, an MPhil scholar from Delhi University, and a first-generation learner.

The protesters expressed concerns about how the department-wise or the 13-point roster will affect the institutions and will drastically reduce the number of posts under the reserved categories. Vidya added, "The previous 200-point roster system was very inclusive in nature. The new system is straight out exclusion. We are being treated as second-class citizens under it. I, being a first-generation learner, know that if I don't protest on Thursday, I won't be able to move ahead, and acquire the education that I want."

Rajib Ray, the president of Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA), said, "If the government does not immediately bring back the 200-point roster system, there will be a disruptive situation in all the colleges of Delhi University."