Will address teachers’ concerns on UGC notification, assures Irani

After a meeting with right wing teachers union, Akhil Bhartiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh (ABRSM) on Monday Union Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Smriti Irani has assured the agitating teachers to soften government’s stand on recent notification by University Grants Commission (UGC). The teacher body met Irani after marathon meeting with UGC officers turned futile.

“The minister has assured us that students’ feedback will not be linked to the promotion of teachers. She also assured that faculty positions sanctioned by UGC will not be allowed to be reduced,” said Anurag Mishra, teacher in Deen Dayal Upadhyay College of Delhi University who is convenor of ABRSM, Delhi. 

The five member delegation of ABRSM was led by Mahendra Kapoor, organization secretary of ABRSM.  “Irani has also accepted the demands of the teachers for giving equal importance to practical and theory classes besides autonomy to institutes and departments in selection of journals for publication of research work,” added Mishra.

Earlier a meeting of various teachers’ bodies with UGC officers failed as both the sides – teachers’ associations and UGC officers – were rigid on their stands.

The teachers’ bodies were demanding complete repeal of the notification while UGC was giving only verbal assurance to look into their grievances. The ABRSM delegation then met the honorable Minister of HRD in the evening and apprised her with all problems in detail.

Delhi University teachers have been protesting against the new notifications of the UGC for over a fortnight and have even boycotted the evaluation process of the University.