No classes in 63 DU colleges as teachers angry over non-payment of salaries

Delhi University (DU) teachers on Wednesday refused to take any classes in 63 colleges in the national capital affiliated to it. No teacher from these colleges turned up for teaching whether in online or offline mode. They have taken this step against the non-payment of salaries in 12 colleges which are 100 per cent funded by the Delhi government.

Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) Treasurer Abha Dev Habib said the Delhi government has released only small grants for its 12 fully funded colleges. The teachers led by DUTA staged a sit-in protest online on Wednesday, demanding adequate grants to the 12 DU colleges funded by the Delhi government as well as payment of salaries to all teachers.

According to DUTA, classes were not held in 63 DU colleges on Wednesday. Due to non-release of grants, the guest, adhoc and contractual employees are in deep financial crisis. The teachers have not received their salaries since the last three months.

DUTA President Rajib Ray said the teachers in DU are once again in a tussle with the Delhi government. There is a delay in giving grants to 12 colleges which are 100 per cent funded by the Delhi government and the grants released are insufficient. Due to this there is a delay in the release of salaries to the varsity employees.

Ray said despite the grand announcements made by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over releasing an amount of Rs 28 crore as grant-in-aid for these 12 DU colleges, the fact remains that due to inadequate grants there has been a delay in disbursement of salaries and other arrears.

DUTA sat on a two-day strike on Tuesday and Wednesday so no online classes were held. Abha Dev Habib said while on the one hand thousands of employees of the 12 fully funded colleges are battling the Covid-19 pandemic, on the other they have not even received their salaries for months altogether.

These employees have to pay house rent, EMI, home loan instalments, car loan instalments, children's fee etc. Without receiving their salaries, they are struggling under a huge financial burden, she added.