NEW DELHI: The paper leaks are
symptomatic of the rot that has set in at School of Open Learning, Delhi
University. The state of affairs is scandalous. The first open and distance
learning institution of the country was started as a pilot project by the
government and is now plagued by allegations of mismanagement and financial
irregularities. Students and teachers claim stepmotherly treatment by DU.
SOL has double the number of students
than DU's colleges and departments put together. But these students are not
allowed to access the central library and are not allowed to vote in the DU
Students' Union elections. Even for the contact classes on weekends, the
colleges deny them access to their premises. It also has been untouched by the
reforms that DU has introduced in its colleges and departments.
The chairman of the governing body of SOL, however, blames the teachers for all its troubles. C S Dubey, who is also chairman of the Campus of Open Learning, told TOI: "When people don't cooperate, what can the administration do? Nobody is coming forward to help. I am all for students' getting the benefits but teachers also need to cooperate."
The chairman of the governing body of SOL, however, blames the teachers for all its troubles. C S Dubey, who is also chairman of the Campus of Open Learning, told TOI: "When people don't cooperate, what can the administration do? Nobody is coming forward to help. I am all for students' getting the benefits but teachers also need to cooperate."
The SOL administration alleges that
the teachers remain missing through the week and come to teach only on Sundays
since they are paid extra. They, according to the authorities, also resist
being sent as observers for examinations.
"Last year we had 31 colleges as
study centres and this year we have 50. Last year, we had 350 rooms for contact
classes and this year we have 450. We had 1,000 teachers earlier and the
strength has gone up to 1,400 this year. We are also trying to create digital
versions of 150 text-books. Moreover, we are trying to use our Tahirpur land
for an e-resource centre," said Dubey.
The teachers say this is a bunch of lies. "There are only two study centres, in north and south," says teacher J Khuntia. "The so-called 25 to 30 centres are actually PCP (personal contact programme) centres which are hired every year under the supervision of the SOL faculty to conduct classes only on Sundays and holidays for the students. We make the time-tables and also allot resource persons for these centres. This year this responsibility has been taken away without any reason." The teachers say the GB has also increased the budget for the same purpose without giving any reason. This was reported to the CAG for which a special audit has been conducted."
The teachers have also opposed the payment of Rs 25,000 to college principals for running the study centres. "The GB's recommendations to pay Rs 25,000 to principals who conduct PCP classes has been opposed by the staff council on the basis of an EC resolution which says that a principal cannot be paid more than Rs 5,000 per month for any extra work beside his/her own responsibility," said Khuntiya.
The teachers say this is a bunch of lies. "There are only two study centres, in north and south," says teacher J Khuntia. "The so-called 25 to 30 centres are actually PCP (personal contact programme) centres which are hired every year under the supervision of the SOL faculty to conduct classes only on Sundays and holidays for the students. We make the time-tables and also allot resource persons for these centres. This year this responsibility has been taken away without any reason." The teachers say the GB has also increased the budget for the same purpose without giving any reason. This was reported to the CAG for which a special audit has been conducted."
The teachers have also opposed the payment of Rs 25,000 to college principals for running the study centres. "The GB's recommendations to pay Rs 25,000 to principals who conduct PCP classes has been opposed by the staff council on the basis of an EC resolution which says that a principal cannot be paid more than Rs 5,000 per month for any extra work beside his/her own responsibility," said Khuntiya.
Source | Times
of India | 4 June 2015
Regards
Pralhad Jadhav
Khaitan & Co
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