Senior Teachers delegation meet PM to demand his intervention in the proposed four year UG programme

Updated on: Monday, May 20, 2013

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday evening told a delegation of senior teachers that he would reflect on their demand for intervention in the proposed four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) and talk to the human resource development minister.

The delegation met the PM for nearly an hour. Sources said the PM gave the delegation a patient hearing and asked how an overwhelming number of teachers were in support of FYUP.

The delegation told Singh that the process was followed "nominally but not substantially". For instance, it was brought to the PM's notice that 34 staff associations of colleges had passed resolutions against FYUP but the vice-chancellor had now warned college principals that staff associations could not pass any resolution.

The PM was also told that in the meetings of DU's executive council, agenda papers were not circulated in advance but given at the time of the meeting.

According to sources, Singh maintained that he should not be seen as interfering in the affairs of autonomous educational institutions. He asked the delegation about University Grants Commission's view on the matter. He was told that UGC was no longer what it used to be and worked mostly at the behest of the HRD ministry without any independent view.

The delegation impressed upon the PM the need to intervene as well as set up an independent fact-finding committee. Singh was told that as the head of an elected government, he should intervene and not allow lakhs of students to suffer to cater to the whims of one individual.

The delegation told the PM that HRD ministry was in the habit of relying on information provided by Delhi University. It was pointed out that even Rajya Sabha was misled. To a question on vacancies in DU, the upper House was given the figure of a little over 300 vacancies whereas more than 4,000 vacancies exist in the university's departments and colleges. Departments themselves have nearly 700 vacancies, the delegation told the PM.

Senior Teachers delegation meet PM to demand his intervention in the proposed four year UG programme

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