The association has called for a ‘complete shutdown’ stating that the issue has resulted in ‘no salaries, no allowances, no reimbursement of medical bills’.

There are 12 colleges in the university that are completely funded by the Delhi government. According to their principals, across all these colleges, the budget allocation for the current financial year has been reduced on an average to 75% of previous years, which they state has made it difficult to make all payments to staff members.

“The fund cut imposed by Government of NCT of Delhi has caused non-payment of salaries for 2-6 months in various colleges of 12 Delhi government-funded colleges that have caused immense hardship to teachers and employees of these colleges. Delhi government has failed to pay regular salaries, allowances and arrears to teaching and non-teaching staff for past more than two years. There is irregular and incomplete disbursal of grants and funds… which is totally unacceptable to DUTA,” read a statement by DUTA Secretary Surendra Singh.

DUTA is currently led by the National Democratic Teachers Front. The strike call has also received support from other teachers’ groups such as Academics for Action and Development and the Indian National Teachers’ Congress.