Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD), which started in 2008 with a vision to become a globally recognised institution, has found itself floundering in the face of heavy attrition over allegations of arbitrary demotion and discrimination.
A member of the AUD Faculty Association (AUDFA) said one-fourth of nearly 120 faculty members had resigned in the last two years because of the “strangulating” work environment.
A senior faculty member said he resigned earlier this year after the university sat on his application for a no-objection certificate (NOC) to participate in two international research projects.
“The university neither granted nor denied the NOC for a year. I had to withdraw from the projects as the NOC did not come,” the faculty member said on the condition of anonymity.
“I realised there is no point in continuing my association with the university when administrative hindrances are created for research activities and professional engagements,” he added.
The reputation of AUD, which is funded by the Delhi government, had picked up in the initial years. In 2019, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council awarded an A grade to the institute, which slipped to B++ in 2022.
In 2019, Prof Anu Singh Lather was appointed the vice-chancellor. After Lather took over, the university started reviewing the promotions and increments granted to the faculty members in the previous five years.
In 2014-15, AUD came out with its board of management-approved guidelines on the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) based on the University Grants Commission (UGC) framework. The university’s rules were more flexible than the CAS rules of the UGC.
Under the UGC rules, a faculty member becomes eligible for promotion provided he or she has progressed stagewise within the levels of assistant professor and
associate professor.
After Lather became VC, the university decided to follow the UGC policy and review the promotions and increments granted under the previous rules.
“As a state university, AUD has powers to frame its own rules keeping in view the UGC’s rules. In 2014-15, AUD did that with certain flexibility to attract talents. But the administration is cancelling the previous promotions and asking for heavy recovery saying they have been paid increments, grade pays and promotions wrongly.
The actions are unjustified and illegal,” said a member of the faculty association.
Twenty-two faculty members have gone into litigations in the past two years after their promotions and increments were reviewed. Among the non-teaching staff, 64 have challenged their demotions, 38 have been transitioned from confirmed positions to contractual status, and 19 are contesting their shift from long-term contracts to those renewed every six months. The university has also stalled the process of fresh CAS promotions of the faculty members without any reason.
Amid the simmering discontent, two women staff members, including a Dalit faculty member, have levelled caste and gender harassment charges against two deans. Following their complaints, both women were transferred from their respective departments.
The AUD’s public relations office said the transfers and resignations were normal.“These mobilities were routine reshuffles, looking at the best utilisation of the resources. As for the caste and gender-based harassment issue, the university has institutions in place as per UGC norms and the university is committed to ensure that the objectives behind those institutions are met in true spirit,” it said.
On the recovery being made over past promotions, it said: “Recoveries are being made as per the directions of BOM/Audit conducted by CAG/ELFA, GNCTD.”
