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Time of India
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Panel To Study Feasibility Of Periodic Reviews Of DU Staff
New Delhi: Delhi University has set up a nine-member committee to examine the feasibility of implementing periodic performance reviews of its employees. This is in line with a central govt notification that allows premature retirement of staff deemed underperforming or lacking integrity. The panel, headed by executive council (EC) member Indra Mohan Kapahi, will assess whether such a policy can be adopted within the university framework. The proposal, tabled during the EC meeting on Friday, referred to an office memorandum issued by the department of personnel and training in June 2024. The memorandum lays down guidelines for quarterly reviews of central govt employees—including those working in autonomous bodies and statutory institutions—with a report to be submitted each month on staff identified as ineffective or of "doubtful integrity. " The rules permit premature retirement in public interest for employees aged 50 or 55, or those who have completed 30 years of service. While university officials say the move is aimed at strengthening administration, sections of the teaching community have raised red flags, alleging that such provisions may be misused to target dissenters. "The university administration has overstepped its authority by attempting to adopt the DoPT circular without clearance from the ministry of education or UGC. This raises serious concerns about procedural violations and the motive behind such haste," said Rudrashish Chakraborty, executive member of Delhi University Teachers' Association and associate professor at Kirori Mal College. Mithuraj Dhusiya, a former EC member, submitted a dissent note arguing that the memorandum applies only to central govt employees under the Central Civil Services Rules, which do not govern DU staff. "The notification has not even been officially forwarded to universities, making the administration's urgency highly questionable," he wrote. Maya John, member of the DU academic council, echoed similar concerns during a protest organised by DUTA outside the EC meeting venue. She alleged that the criteria listed in the memorandum—such as "doubtful integrity" and "ineffectiveness"—are vague and susceptible to misuse. "This conflation of teaching staff with central govt employees violates DU's institutional autonomy and risks creating a culture of fear and compliance," she said. EC member Aman Kumar also objected, noting that DU already has robust mechanisms for staff evaluation, including annual performance appraisal reports, the UGC's career advancement scheme, and annual departmental reviews. "The imposition of additional layers through central administrative procedures is unwarranted and threatens academic freedom," he said. The committee's recommendations are expected to be tabled in a future EC meeting. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Hindustan Times
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Delhi University's EC clears all curriculum changes amid faculty dissent
The Executive Council (EC) of Delhi University (DU) on Friday approved several changes to departmental curricula and other academic matters based on recommendations made by its standing committee on academic affairs, despite opposition from elected members and concerns over academic autonomy. The revisions follow recommendations by the standing committee on academic affairs and had earlier received assent from the Academic Council (AC). Departments affected include Psychology, Sociology, and History. In Psychology, topics such as sexual orientation, dating apps, caste and religious identity, Kashmir, and the Israel-Palestine conflict were reportedly marked for removal. In their place, the committee proposed the inclusion of the Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita to explore the 'psychology of peace.' 'After considering the recommendations made in the DU Academic Council meeting held on May 10, the curriculum of various departments and programmes were also approved by the EC,' said a university official, requesting anonymity. The standing committee had earlier cleared these revisions over three meetings on May 2, 6, and 8. However, those meetings were marked by dissent from faculty members, including department heads, who alleged interference and a lack of disciplinary expertise on the committee. Mithuraaj Dhusiya, an elected EC member, submitted a dissent note during Friday's meeting, criticising the process. 'The conduct of the three meetings… in the run-up to the AC meeting clearly undermined the autonomy of the departments. The university officials, none of whom have expertise in disciplines like Psychology, Philosophy, Sociology and History, directed HoDs of these departments to make changes in various papers which are arbitrary, unacademic and out of sync with the overall learning objectives,' the note read. The EC also addressed the contentious issue of determining teacher seniority within departments. DU clarified in a statement that when relative qualifications are equal, seniority will now be based on age. If age is also identical, it will be determined using the Academic Performance Indicator (API) score. However, the proposed reliance on API scores drew criticism from faculty. 'DU is trying to use the API score to determine seniority of teachers in case of a tie between teachers across categories. It is pertinent to mention here that the selection of teachers across colleges and the University departments did not happen as per API score. The final selection of candidates happened because of 100% weightage given to the selection committee,' said a DU Teachers' Association member, Rudrashish Chakraborty. Other decisions approved at the meeting include the introduction of a BSc in Nuclear Medicine Technology at Army Hospital (R&R), Delhi Cantt, under the Faculty of Medical Sciences. Additionally, the MA Journalism programme will now be jointly offered by the Hindi and English departments.
