Teachers’ details taken for possible election duty, says DU

The clarification came days after a group of Delhi University teachers wrote to the vice-chancellor on being asked to furnish their personal details

Days after a group of Delhi University teachers wrote to the vice-chancellor on being asked to furnish their personal details, officials in the Delhi University on Monday said that the information was sought by the Delhi State Election Commission (DSEC) “likely for election duties”

DU teachers claimed that assistant professors were asked to furnish urgently their Aadhar, voter ID and constituency details through a link to a Google form. (HT Photo)

In the letter, the teachers claimed that assistant professors in pay levels 10,11 and 12 were asked to furnish urgently their Aadhar, voter ID and constituency details through a link to a Google form sent by the university’s establishment branch earlier this month even as they raised apprehensions on whether the information was sought for duty in the Lok Sabha elections next year.

“DSEC had asked for details of assistant professors and we have given a few names,” said DU registrar Vikas Gupta, adding that while they do not know the exact reason, the details were likely “sought for election duty”

A DSEC spokesperson did not respond to HT’s queries for a comment on the matter.

In their October 11 letter, members of the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) stated in a mail sent by the by the section officer, establishment branch, an attached Google form sought “data like Voter-ID No., Assembly Constituency, regarding pregnancy of female teachers etc...from Assistant Professors at all levels” even as they questioned why the data was being collected from only assistant professors.

The letter further stated, “This is in violation of service conditions approved by the UGC and which was published in the Gazette of India. University of Delhi also accepted that University of Delhi teachers were never ever involved in election related duties as University of Delhi is an autonomous institution and does not come under the purview of the State Government.”

Megh Raaj, an assistant professor in the law faculty said that he received the email on October 6. “We are apprehensive that it was recorded for election duty, as the university already has our details...”.

Anand Prakash, member of DUTA executive, who was among the 11 teachers who wrote to the VC, said that such details have never been sought by the university administration before, adding that there are talks among teachers that it will be used for elections.