We are reproducing below a statement by the Democratic Teachers’ Initiative seeking wider support from the university community in the struggle against the termination of employment of Prof Sali Mishra and Prof Asmita Kabra by the Ambedkar University Delhi administration. Those willing to sign may please do so by clicking on the link at the end of the statement.

We express deep shock and rage over the termination of two esteemed faculty members of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University (AUD), Prof. Salil Misra and Prof. Asmita Kabra, and request your solidarity in building a struggle against this unprecedented and grave act of injustice.

On November 5, 2024, the Board of Management (BoM) of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University Delhi made the decision to terminate with immediate effect the employment of Prof. Misra and Prof. Kabra for their role in regularisation of 38 non-teaching staff who had dedicated themselves to the building of the university in its early years, following the long standing demands of AUD teaching and non teaching staff and students. In a university established after the name of Babasaheb Ambedkar and founded on principles of equity and social justice, there was a rightful concern being expressed right from the time of its establishment that staff without whose contribution the imagination of a university is not be possible, be ensured dignified and non exploitative work conditions, conditions that only be ensured by way of stable, secure and permanent employment. After years of deliberations, the policy of ‘One time absorption’ was framed finally in 2018 and was placed for deliberations before all the relevant bodies of the university, including the highest statutory body of the university, i.e., the Board of Management (BoM), which also includes government nominees. It may be noted that The Directorate of Higher Education was apprised of the full facts of the absorption process before final letters were issued to the contractual staff.

Shockingly, in February 2021, the BoM of the university, under the new leadership, overturned this decision and instituted a one-man-committee headed by Dr. G.S. Patnaik. Patnaik committee clearly and categorically exonerated all the administrators involved in the decision-making and implementation of the regularisation policy. However, in a move that can be at best described as vindictive, malicious and aimed at harming the teaching-learning environment of the university, the BoM held in December 2022, in complete disregard of the Patnaik committee report, authorised the Vice-Chancellor (VC) to set up another committee (Prof Sharma and Prof Garg) to re-investigate the matter. While the committee could not establish any evidence of malafide intent or gain on part of the two faculty members, it termed them guilty of ‘conduct unbecoming of a public servant, under Rule 3(1) (iii) (viii) (ix) (xviii) and (xxi) of the CCS (Conduct) Rules’.

It is appalling that the leadership of a university that in recent past has failed to adequately and sensitively respond to serious complaints of caste and gender-based discrimination, and continues to maintain a stoic silence on the mass exodus of faculty to other universities (40 faculty members till date), finds time and motivation to form repeated committees to punish faculty members with proven commitment to public universities, academic scholarship and ethics of dignified working space for all. Further the hurry to pronounce the draconian punishment overnight and immediately removing email access of the concerned faculty members just weeks prior to the end semester exams scheduled in the university only shows how little does the current regime care about students’ learning and wellbeing.

The Delhi government’s appalling silence on the events unfolding at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University Delhi over past few years is telling!! For a government that claims to be a “savior” of public education, its absolute refusal to address the repeated pleas by the faculty to address their concerns requires that tough questions be posed to them.

What is happening at AUD must serve as a clarion call for faculty across colleges and universities, as this can be a dangerous precedent wherein CCS rules are arbitrarily and unjustifiably invoked to punish faculty whose ideas and beliefs are different or contradictory to those in power. The incidents at AUD cannot be seen in isolation and must be seen together with attacks on academics across institutions including JNU, SAU, DU and others.

The Democratic Teachers’ Initiative (DTI) strongly appeals to the teaching fraternity to extend solidarity and come forward to build a strong movement to save our academic spaces. We demand:

1. The BoM must immediately revoke the removal of both Prof. Salil and Prof. Asmita.

2. The Chancellor and the Delhi Government should order an inquiry into the conduct of AUD administration which has repeatedly violated the Supreme Court guidelines on the non-applicability of CCS rules on universities.

3. The university has also violated High Court rulings on non-admissibility of recoveries on faculty in cases where the faculty wasn’t at fault.

4. We also demand a thorough enquiry on following matters. (a) why AUD ranking has drastically dropped, (b) why 40 faculty members (almost ⅓ rd of it total strength) have chosen to leave AUD. (c) why AUD research output has drastically fallen, research centers have become defunct, (d) why SC/ST students’ number have drastically dropped.

5. It is deeply concerning that there is no democratic governance in place at AUD and a few faculty members have occupied administrative positions continuously. There is thus no faith and sanctity left in statutory bodies like BoM, ICC and Grievance Redressal Committees. We demand an inquiry into their composition and functioning.

DTI seeks solidarity and endorsement of this statement to help us amplify the voice and concerns of AUD faculty and all in the teaching fraternity who face attacks in their respective institutions for being faces and voices of a progressive, equitable and socially just educational space. Please consider endorsing this statement by filling the following form.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScqxW9DUe3zTATIoq2ceeDsvy1HOO31I4h-7f87deJRnLEjow/viewform

What is happening to AUD: A chronology of events: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bJ1rTBTiRPRuDtyj7rpvsH6Kups44Nmo/view?usp=drivesdk .