AADTA writes to Assam CM to exempt varsity faculties from CSR
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, January 23 2024: Aditya Narayan Misra, the national in-charge of the Academic for Action and Development Delhi Teachers' Association (AADTA), along with members of the Delhi University Executive Council (DU EC) and Finance Committee (FC), has written a letter to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressing concern over potential legislative steps to subject university faculties to civil services rules.

The letter cited media reports suggesting that the Assam government is contemplating to bring university faculties under civil services rules to prevent criticism of the government.

Misra and the signatories expressed their opposition to imposing such restrictive Central Civil Services (CCS) rules on teachers, asserting that it would be an attack on the very essence of the university as an institutional platform for debate, discussion, inquiry, innovation, and scholarship.

The letter highlighted the perceived attempts to silence dissenting voices Of teachers, who oppose privatisation and contractualisation of higher education under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 .

Imposing CCS Rules on faculty, they argued, would adversely impact the quality of research, knowledge dissemination, and free expression of opinions on government policies.

It also cited Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya s foresight in 1903, opposing centralisation and bureaucratization of universities on the ground that it would restrict education and destroy the independence crucial for efficiency and usefulness.

The letter emphasised that faculty integrity and dedication should not be questioned merely for expressing opinions beyond their academic duties.

It urged the Assam Chief Minister to safeguard the autonomy and accountability of faculties as per university rules and regulations, keeping them outside the purview of CCS Rules.

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