UGC cleanliness drive clashes with DU admissions

“The Government of India has decided that a week-long cleanliness drive should be held from 22- 26 June in all universities and affiliated colleges. Activities as mentioned in the circular must be undertaken with vigour during this week (sic),” the notice stated.

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The notice comes at a time when teachers are already agitating against the celebration of International Yoga Day and are questioning the Centre’s move of fulfilling its agenda through institutions like the UGC.

DU Executive Council Member Abha Dev Habib said, “This notice comes as a total disregard for the prime work of the university, which is to hold admissions. The UGC will further add to the chaos generated by the choice-based credit system (CBCS) for which the university is as it is ill-prepared.”

The activities which are to be undertaken as part of the drive are also clearly mentioned in the notice. They include, “upkeep and cleaning of offices including common area premises, toilets, stairs, lifts etc; upkeep and cleaning of areas outside the office including parking lots, pathways, etc.; disposal of unusable vehicles/furniture/electronics and electrical equipment, etc. and weeding out old files”.

“It is ridiculous that they’re doing this when DU will be busy with admissions. Moreover, the government is using state machinery to enforce its programmes,” Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) president Nandita Narain said.

However, the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) — led by BJP’s student-wing ABVP — has come out in support of the notice.

“For us, Swachh Abhiyan is as important as admissions. We don’t think there will be an issue as the admission staff will be separate from the staff involved in the cleanliness drive,” DUSU vice-president Parvesh Malik said.