There is no such proposal to bring Delhi University under ESMA or Essential Services Maintenance Act, says a Ministry of Human Resource Development official. The response from HRD comes after a section of Delhi University teachers alleged that the ministry's direction to constitute a working group to study the Delhi University Act to bring it under the ESMA act is 'an attack on their democratic rights'.
R Subrahmanyam IAS, Secretary, Higher Education, clarified that the suggestion to ban strikes in the examination services came from some affected students during the DUTA strike. He added that the Ministry has decided to not to proceed with the suggestion after examining it.
"There is no such proposal to bring Delhi University under ESMA. The suggestion to ban strikes in the examination services came from some affected students during the DUTA strike. We have examined it and are not going ahead with the suggestion," he tweeted.
There is no such proposal to bring Delhi University under ESMA. The suggestion to ban strikes in the examination services came from some affected students during the DUTA strike. We have examined it and are not going ahead with the suggestion. Kindly clarify to readers.
- R. Subrahmanyam (@subrahyd) October 20, 2018
The higher education regulator University Grants Commission or UGC has, through an order dated 12th September, 2018, directed to constitute a working group to study the Delhi University Act with 'the perspective of relevance and uniformity in today's context including bringing Exam/Teaching/ Learning/Evaluation under Act of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA)'.
Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA): UGC's ESMA circular is exploring the 'possible alterations that may dissolve the University's institutional autonomy and suspend the democratic rights of its academic community'. pic.twitter.com/nnxDEb1Rto
- Shihabudeen Kunju S (@skunjus) October 19, 2018
Responding to a circular sent by University Grants Commission (UGC) to the University, Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA), said the circular is exploring the 'possible alterations that may dissolve the University's institutional autonomy and suspend the democratic rights of its academic community'.
'To try and bring university teachers under ESMA is a draconian and foolish move as teachers are not mere service providers. Teachers are creators and disseminators of knowledge and informed opinion. The Government's move to curb the democratic rights of teachers through ESMA and CCS indicates desperation and nervousness about introducing changes that cannot stand up to academic scrutiny," a statement from the Teachers Association said.
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