Teachers protest SOPs by Daulat Ram, DU for appointment as assistant professors; varsity free to choose criteria, says UGC

Earlier, DU, on June 3, issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for recruitment of Assistant Professors, the process for which now includes a separate round for “Assessment through Presentation Assessment Committee”.

Delhi University, DU Teachers protest, Daulat Ram college SOPs, DU assistant professor appointment, UGC, DU selection criteria, DU news, delhi education news, indian express news

The notification pertains to appointment of asst professors. (File Photo)

Two notifications — one issued by Daulat Ram College, and the other by Delhi University (DU) — has triggered discontent among several teachers who claimed that they go against UGC guidelines.

While one notification asked faculty appointed as Assistant Professors at Daulat Ram to undergo rigorous training in computer-aided teaching within six months, and submit its proof, the other, issued by DU, requires aspirants to the same post to make a presentation of their body of work to the interviewers in the first round following which they will be permitted to sit for the interview round conducted by the final selection committee.

The UGC chairman, meanwhile, said being autonomous bodies, universities were free to choose qualifications and other processes over and above the minimum standards provided in the UGC regulations with the approval of their statutory bodies.

In a notification last week, Daulat Ram College said, “All the faculty appointed as Assistant Professor at Pay level-10 have been directed…to undergo rigorous training in teaching pedagogy/computer-aided teaching methodology including digital technology useful for classroom teaching… The proof…must be submitted to the principal office for their cases to be considered for confirmation.”

In an email to Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh on June 15, teacher members of the Academic Council, Executive members, along with Delhi University Teachers’ Association members wrote: “Directly linking teacher training programmes and confirmation is a clear cut violation of University Ordinance.”

College Principal Savita Roy told The Indian Express: “It (the notification) is self-explanatory. It was decided by the Governing Body. My teachers are already meeting this criterion; so why the hue and cry?”

Officials at the DU administration stated that this was not a university-wide directive. Said an official: “If a policy is being implemented, it should be done so in consultation with the university administration, and it must be the same for all colleges.”

Story continues below this ad

Earlier, DU, on June 3, issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for recruitment of Assistant Professors, the process for which now includes a separate round for “Assessment through Presentation Assessment Committee”.

Speaking to The Indian Express, DU South Campus Director Shri Prakash Singh said, “This procedure was already in place for recruitment in departments. Now, this is being implemented in appointments across colleges too. This was passed by the Executive Council in December last year. This has been put in place to ensure transparency so that candidates get more time to present their case for a fair appointment. It is not a violation of the UGC.”

According to M Jagadesh Kumar, chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC): “If candidates are required to make presentations, it provides an opportunity for them to demonstrate their abilities in ways that written applications or traditional interviews cannot capture. It will help the committee identify candidates with teaching proficiency, depth of subject matter knowledge, and alignment with the objectives of the teaching post.”

However, a section of teachers disagrees with this. A statement issued by Dr Maya John, Elected Member, Academic Council, DU, on June 11 said, “The new SOP does not restore any transparency to the hiring process…as there is neither any mention of reducing the full weightage assigned to the interview, nor the assigning of higher weightage to more objective parameters like academic record, teaching experience, and research work during the interview stage.”

Story continues below this ad

Abha Dev Habib, Associate Professor at Miranda House College, said the SOP was unacceptable. “The SOP is against the interests of serving teachers as it reduces the number of candidates who can appear before the Selection Committees. Appointments in many colleges are pending and many colleagues who were displaced are waiting to join back,” she added.

Vidheesha Kuntamalla

Vidheesha Kuntamalla is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She is known for her investigative reporting on higher education policy, international student immigration, and academic freedom on university campuses. Her work consistently connects policy decisions with lived realities, foregrounding how administrative actions, political pressure, and global shifts affect students, faculty, and institutions. Professional Profile Core Beat Vidheesha covers education in Delhi and nationally, reporting on major public institutions including the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, the IITs, and the IIMs. She also reports extensively on private and government schools in the National Capital Region. Prior to joining The Indian Express, she worked as a freelance journalist in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for over a year, covering politics, rural issues, women-centric issues, and social justice. Specialisation She has developed a strong niche in reporting on the Indian student diaspora, particularly the challenges faced by Indian students and H-1B holders in the United States. Her work examines how geopolitical shifts, immigration policy changes, and campus politics impact global education mobility. She has also reported widely on: * Mental health crises and student suicides at IITs * Policy responses to campus mental health * Academic freedom and institutional clampdowns at JNU, South Asian University (SAU), and Delhi University * Curriculum and syllabus changes under the National Education Policy Her recent reporting has included deeply reported human stories on policy changes during the Trump administration and their consequences for Indian students and researchers in the US. Reporting Style Vidheesha is recognised for a human-centric approach to policy reporting, combining investigative depth with intimate storytelling. Her work often highlights the anxieties of students and faculty navigating bureaucratic uncertainty, legal precarity, and institutional pressure. She regularly works with court records, internal documents, official data, and disciplinary frameworks to expose structural challenges to academic freedom. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 & 2025) 1. Express Investigation Series JNU’s fault lines move from campus to court: University fights students and faculty (November 2025) An Indian Express investigation found that since 2011, JNU has appeared in over 600 cases before the Delhi High Court, filed by the administration, faculty, staff, students, and contractual workers across the tenures of three Vice-Chancellors. JNU’s legal wars with students and faculty pile up under 3 V-Cs | Rs 30-lakh fines chill campus dissent (November 2025) The report traced how steep monetary penalties — now codified in the Chief Proctor’s Office Manual — are reshaping dissent and disciplinary action on campus. 2. International Education & Immigration ‘Free for a day. Then came ICE’: Acquitted after 43 years, Indian-origin man faces deportation — to a country he has never known (October 2025) H-1B $100,000 entry fee explained: Who pays, who’s exempt, and what’s still unclear? (September 2025) Khammam to Dallas, Jhansi to Seattle — audacious journeys in pursuit of the American dream after H-1B visa fee hike (September 2025) What a proposed 15% cap on foreign admissions in the US could mean for Indian students (October 2025) Anxiety on campus after Trump says visas of pro-Palestinian protesters will be cancelled (January 2025) ‘I couldn’t believe it’: F-1 status of some Indian students restored after US reverses abrupt visa terminations (April 2025) 3. Academic Freedom & Policy Exclusive: South Asian University fires professor for ‘inciting students’ during stipend protests (September 2025) Exclusive: Ministry seeks explanation from JNU V-C for skipping Centre’s meet, views absence ‘seriously’ (July 2025) SAU rows after Noam Chomsky mentions PM Modi, Lankan scholar resigns, PhD student exits SAU A series of five stories examining shrinking academic freedom at South Asian University after global scholar Noam Chomsky referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an academic interaction, triggering administrative unease and renewed debate over political speech, surveillance, and institutional autonomy on Indian campuses. 4. Mental Health on Campuses In post-pandemic years, counselling rooms at IITs are busier than ever; IIT-wise data shows why (August 2025) Campus suicides: IIT-Delhi panel flags toxic competition, caste bias, burnout (April 2025) 5. Delhi Schools These Delhi government school grads are now success stories. Here’s what worked — and what didn’t (February 2025) ‘Ma’am… may I share something?’ Growing up online and alone, why Delhi’s teens are reaching out (December 2025) ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
delhi university