Condemning the decision, the Jamia Teacher’s Association said that JMI wants to suppress the democratic voices of the teachers.
TCN Staff Reporter
NEW DELHI — The administration of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has dissolved the Jamia Teachers Association (JTA) of the university, a move which has received sharp criticism from members of the teachers’ body. The university administration decided that it would amend the JTA constitution and would hold the elections at a later date.
The Jamia administration has suspended Prof. Sonya Surabhi Gupta, a senior Professor at the University, for accepting the JTA Election Commission’s request to administer the polls as Returning Officer (RO).
The JTA condemned the university’s decisions and demanded that the JMI administration withdraw the decision to suspend Prof. Gupta immediately.
An official of the university administration said that Prof. Gupta’s appointment was “illegal” as she was appointed by office bearers of the JTA whose tenure concluded in May. The JTA contradicted this claim and said that the term of the JTA EC is completed on November 25.
Prof. Gupta on her part has rejected the university’s argument and said that she acted in accordance with past precedent. Never in the past had the Returning Officer of the JTA had to take permission from the Jamia administration.
The Election Commission of the JTA condemned the university’s decision. “The JTA EC expressed deep anguish and pain and strongly condemned the university’s actions. The JTA EC resolved that its term is very much legal as per the JTA constitution and the term certificates issued by the last returning officer are for two years completing on 25th November,” a statement issued from the JTA said.
“This is a deliberate and systematic attempt by the JMI administration to derail the democratic process of the JTA election of choosing their representative who could raise the voice of teachers in front of the administration. The JMI administration wants to suppress the democratic voices of the teachers.,” the JTA statement added.