Action still pending against VC: DUTA reminds President

New Delhi: The Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) on Tuesday brought to the notice of President Pranab Mukherjee the alleged delay in taking action against Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh after he was issued a show-cause by the HRD Ministry.

"We have written a letter to the President reminding him of the action which is still pending against the VC after he was issued a show-cause (notice) over irregularities in DU's functioning," DUTA President Nandita Narain said.

The letter sent to Mukherjee, who is also the Visitor of the varsity, reads, "We had submitted a detailed 'White Paper' on the basis of which the HRD Ministry had sought responses and issued a show-cause notice to him (VC)."

"We were hopeful that a strong institutional response... would help teachers, students and non-teaching staff of the university regain faith in academic sanctity and the rule of law. However, we are yet to see any concrete action against the Vice-Chancellor," it said.

DUTA has also raised several other issues in the letter including allegations of approval of the Choice Based Credit System in the Executive Council in a "dictatorial" manner, denial of pension to retired employees for over nine months and inaction on reports of question paper leaks.

"Delhi University is, academically and administratively, in complete disarray, its students, teachers and non-teaching staff in distress and the situation is getting worse with each passing day.

"We may add that anyone who seeks to question the misgovernance by the Vice-Chancellor or by other authorities who enjoy his support has to face arbitrary enquiries and unjustifiable action," Narain alleged in the letter.

Vice Chancellor Singh was issued a show-cause notice by the HRD Ministry on March 17 after approval by the Visitor.

Apart from inquiring about the legality of introducing the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP), the Ministry had sought Singh's reply on the opening of B.Tech courses under the varsity without due clearance from AICTE and the diversion of funds to the tune of Rs 172 crore meant for buying laptops for OBC students.

While Singh had strongly defended his position on the Four year Undergraduate Programme, the HRD Ministry was believed to be dissatisfied with his response and was seeking legal opinion from the Attorney General.