Semester system tussle: Court strives for students’ good

NEW DELHI - “Don’t play with the life and the career of the students,” the Delhi High Court Tuesday told the Delhi University and a teachers’ association for their failure to resolve differences over introduction of semester system in colleges.

Justice Aruna Suresh asked the university and the Delhi University Teachers’ Association not to endanger the future of students.

“Today who is the sufferer. It is neither the university nor the teachers, but the larger interest of the students. Don’t play with the life and the career of the students,” the court said.

It also asked the university to take the views of the students on the issue.

The court also pulled up the teachers for not taking classes in protest against the introduction of the semester system.

“How can you refuse to teach the syllabus. You can’ t take decisions that semester system is not good,” the court said.

It was July 15 when the court had suggested that both the parties should discuss and find a permanent solution. It also appointed a lawyer as the mediator with the consent of the two sides.

The court’s suggestion came on a petition filed by the university seeking a direction restraining the agitating teachers from going on a strike and holding demonstrations repeatedly.

The university mentioned in the petition that due to strike and demonstrations by teachers, the smooth functioning of the administration, educational and examination system has been affected.

The DUTA has been opposing the semester system for a long time but matters came to a head when Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental approved the new curricula for 12 science courses at the academic council meeting in May. The system was introduced for some courses in the new session.