Delhi University

Unfortunately, Delhi University, with theoretical possibility of becoming the hub of radicalism to set an example for other universities, does not have any history of any radical student movement, at least since the early seventies. There have been, though, small radical students groups. The DUSU and the College Unions perform just one function : organization of annual fests and eating up consequent commission from sponsorship. We, the teachers never intervene. Most of the "teacher material" is supplied from the same students into the academic job market and is bound to transcend into teachers' consciousness. there have been militant and successful teachers' movements in 1970s and 1980s but the goal was not to set any national academic agenda, nevertheless, these movements deserve salutes.
The argument put forth by DUTA of attracting the 'talent" by monitory incentive sounds laughable. May be it suits UPSC rejects.
Most tragic part of the Delhi University academics is the patronage and "job fixing". People know the result in advance of the interview. On the basis of my observation of the DU job-market, as a candidate for many years and as a member of Selection Committee, by virtue of rotational teacher-in-chargeship, I am forced to conclude that 99% teaching jobs are given on extra-academic considerations, academic competence is an added qualification. 1% accidently. If we want to make this university, a center of excellence and radical ideas, the job-fixing has to be rooted out.