Aam Aadmi Party has formed a national-level teachers’ organization Academic for Action and Development Delhi Teachers’ Association (AADTA) to uplift the cause of educational reforms across India, announced an AAP leader on Friday. It has been formed by amalgamating the Academics for Action and Development Delhi Teachers’ Association. Professor Aditya Narayan Mishra will spreadhead an 8-member team of AADTA. The Delhi units of DTA and AAD merged to form a core committee which will contest in the Delhi University Teachers’ Association elections. 

AAP Delhi State Convenor Gopal Rai said 3-time Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) President Professor Dr. Aditya Narayan Mishra joined the party, along with his supporters, in the presence of Manish Sisodia three months ago. Aditya Narayan Mishra and his organization AAD is a crucial part of teachers' politics at Delhi University. 

Apart from him, various members of AAD have bagged various posts in DU indifferent elections. Moreover, Aditya Narayan Mishra has twice led the Federation for Central Universities Teachers Association between 2007 and 2011 at the national level. 

A few days ago, the entire AAD joined the AAP. Even before that, AAP's teachers’ organization Delhi Teachers Association (DTA) was already active at Delhi University. 

“After deliberating with all the teachers and teams, the party has made two decisions. Various people have joined the party, keeping in mind the condition of politics in the country, for the progress of higher education in Delhi and across the country as well as to safeguard the interest of teachers,” said AAP. 

“We have formed a national-level teachers’ association with an objective to transform education in the country. This teachers’ association will be formed by an amalgamation of AAD and DTA and it will be named AADTA. Under the banner of this association, its members will work across the country,” it added. 

More About Aadta 

Gopal Rai said, “We have formed an 8-member team to establish this organization. The team will comprise professors Dr. Aditya Narayan Mishra, Dr. Narendra Kumar Pandey, Dr. Sangeeta Rai, Dr. Premchand, Dr. Rajesh Jha, Dr. Tabrez Alam Khan, Dr. TN Ojha, and Manoj Singh.” 

“The party is bestowing the responsibility of being the national in-charge of this team upon Dr. Aditya Narayan Mishra. He has the experience of working across the country, which will help in establishing the association in various central and state universities across the country,” he said. 

“Moreover, all the activities in Delhi will also take place under the banner of AADTA. There will be a core committee of teachers in Delhi comprising members from both AAD and DTA. This core committee will take part in upcoming elections in Delhi University,” he said. 

“They will work together to bring reforms required in higher education in the interest of the people. They will also work on several issues that have surfaced after the incoming of the new Education Policy. They will make field visits during the elections. Afterward, the party will organize a nation-level teachers’ conference for which we will form more teams on the nation-level and induct office bearers for those teams,” he added. 

Why We Need Educational Reforms 

Dr. Aditya Narayan Mishra said, “Higher education in the country is going through a crisis situation. The policy brought by the central government in the name of the New Education Policy is a document of privatization. Funding provided by the government is continuously dwindling. A few years ago, the share was 4.7% and now it has come down to 2.50%. It also includes a loan from HEFA. A loan is not a grant,” he said. 

“The party is bestowing the responsibility of being the national in-charge of this team upon Dr. Aditya Narayan Mishra. He has the experience of working across the country, which will help in establishing the association in various central and state universities across the country,” he said. 

“Moreover, all the activities in Delhi will also take place under the banner of AADTA. There will be a core committee of teachers in Delhi comprising members from both AAD and DTA. This core committee will take part in upcoming elections in Delhi University,” he said. 

“They will work together to bring reforms required in higher education in the interest of the people. They will also work on several issues that have surfaced after the incoming of the new Education Policy. They will make field visits during the elections. Afterward, the party will organize a nation-level teachers’ conference for which we will form more teams on the nation-level and induct office bearers for those teams,” he added. 

Why We Need Educational Reforms 

Dr. Aditya Narayan Mishra said, “Higher education in the country is going through a crisis situation. The policy brought by the central government in the name of the New Education Policy is a document of privatization. Funding provided by the government is continuously dwindling. A few years ago, the share was 4.7% and now it has come down to 2.50%. It also includes a loan from HEFA. A loan is not a grant,” he said. 

“When it comes to research, Rs 107 crores was provided for UGC research projects in 2015-16. Now it has come down to a mere Rs 3 crores. These people sing heaps and praises about Make in India while the reality is that there has been a 60% reduction in the scholarship given to the people working in all the research organizations across the nation,” the professor said. 

“Today, libraries do not have books, and laboratories do not have chemicals. Laboratories are lying dry. No new equipment is being purchased. The development fund of the students has to be used for all these purposes. We did not even think of touching this contribution,” he said 

He further alleged that appointments are going on at Delhi University these days. 

“It is not a pleasant sight that teachers are being fired even after working for 15-18 years and having all the qualifications. There is another crisis in the making. People across the country are being hired on an ad-hoc basis. They are either contractual or temporary employees. If teachers remain insecure about their jobs, how can we expect them to teach properly in such a situation?” he said.