Delhi University okays new promotion guidelines amid protests by teachers

New Delhi: The academic council of the Delhi University unanimously passed new regulations for promotion of teachers of its departments and centres with some modifications on Thursday.

“The promotion guidelines for teachers of departments/centres of the University of Delhi were accepted with some modifications,” an official said.

The new guidelines for promotions were opposed by different teachers groups’ and independent activists. The council meeting was stalled briefly when it started amid protest by the teachers’ representatives over the proposed rules for promotions of department teachers.

The meeting was adjourned by Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh as some representatives jumped to the well of the hall during the Zero Hour to register their protest against the change in the rules. Under the proposed rules, to be eligible for promotion to different levels of assistant professorship, the application must have a specified minimum number of publication in the Scopus Index journal. The new rule also mandates publication in UGC care listed journal.

This criteria mandate was not included in the UGC 2018 regulations for promotions of university teachers. The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) opposed the proposal saying it is discriminatory for those joining after July 1, 2024. ‘The proposed changes create a discrimination between those teachers who are promoted according to the UGC regulations as those who will be eligible for the new regulations after 1.7.2024,’ the teachers’ body said in a statement.