In a move with far-reaching
consequences, students at Delhi University (DU) will evaluate their teachers
from the next semester starting in January. The evaluation will be made a part
of the teachers’ files and influence their promotions.
The rating will include points like the
quality of teaching, the regularity of teachers and innovative teaching
methods.
“The evaluation will be a holistic and
formal process and will be done for every teacher teaching every course. It
will be carried out twice or thrice in a semester and complete confidentiality
of the students will be maintained,” explained DU vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh.
Explaining the rationale behind the
system, Singh said he had taken a leaf out of the Delhi University Teachers’
Association’s (DUTA) book. “The DUTA took the feedback of a number of students
for the four year undergraduate programme and I think it was a great idea.
Involving students and asking them to assess our programmes is good and should
be extended to assessing teachers as well,” Singh said.
The university is also in the process of
setting up an empowered committee that will explore and assess the student
response.
Teacher evaluation is a common process
in foreign universities but not well established in India. Some professors at the
Jawaharlal Nehru University voluntarily ask students to assess them. A similar
idea had done the rounds in DU five years back but had failed to take off at
the time.
Ndtf is against
teachers’ evaluation by students. There is a difference between seeking a
feedback from students on a system than on teaching ability of a individual.
There is every chance that individual teacher feed back by students is
influenced by other considerations such as cast, region etc. Even in case of
feedback of students on a system, it may be important but it can’t be decider
as universities are not run on demand and supply model only. NDTF criticizes VC
for unilaterally declaring teachers’ evaluation by students when same was
discussed in the last AC meeting and dropped, when elected representatives
argued against it. However, we caution DTF and DUTA leadership to avoid
rhetoric on the issue and meet the challenge in a more responsible manner as it
may have long term repercussions on permanent and ad hoc teachers both for
promotions and continuation of ad hoc service. The DUTA leadership should hold
GBM and keep the promise of united struggle on various issues, which they gave
to teachers during election. The arbitrary functioning of DUTA leadership and
statements by some elected members close to DUTA leadership may harm the
interest of teachers, as such statements are no replacement for official
resolution/ statement on behalf of DUTA executive and teachers on such an
important issue.
