DU teachers association opposes autonomy to colleges

The Delhi University Teachers Association on Tuesday opposed the plan of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) to grant complete autonomy to some of the country’s prestigious colleges.

MHRD plans to give an autonomous status to St Stephen’s, Sri Ram College of Commerce and Lady Sri Ram affiliated to Delhi University, Loyola College in Chennai and St Xavier’s College in Mumbai, which already enjoys limited autonomy.

The move is aimed at freeing these colleges from the administrative control of the universities they are currently affiliated with.

DUTA claimed that such autonomy will end up giving disproportionate powers to the governing bodies and managing committees of the colleges under question. ‘This will work against the interests of independent academic and intellectual pursuits,’ DUTA said in a statement.‘Having the unfettered freedom to raise their revenue through fee hikes, such colleges will make themselves inaccessible for the common people,’ DUTA president Amar Deo Sharma said.

The teacher’s association also claimed that the ministry never tried to consult either the teachers or the students on the issue of autonomy. 

‘The ministry never asked whether we wanted autonomy for the colleges,’ it said.

Urging MHRD to withdraw its announcement, DUTA asked it to review the recommendations of the National Knowledge Commission regarding autonomy of colleges saying the suggestions violate the principles on which public-funded higher education institutions had been founded. 

Meanwhile, DUTA declared as arbitrary chief minister Sheila Dikshit’s decision to grant Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology (NSIT), which is currently affiliated to DU, the status of an independent university.‘The DUTA has also learnt that Shiela Dikshit    has announced her intention to convert NSIT into an independent university. DUTA rejects such a move as arbitrary. 

The government has never bothered to consult the statutory bodies of DU before taking such decisions,’ the statement said.