Gazetted officers accuse AAP of education disaster; demand restoration

New Delhi: A forum of gazetted officers associated with technical education in Delhi staged a protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, sharply criticising the previous AAP government's approach towards the sector.

There was no immediate response available from the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) over the allegations.

The protestors alleged that the previous Aam Aadmi Party's education reforms have severely disrupted the capital's technical education system.

In an official statement, the Gazetted Officer Forum for Technical Education accused the Delhi government of making "ill-considered" decisions, particularly citing the formation of the DSEU.

SK Malik, president of the forum, said, "The education revolution promoted by the AAP has proved disastrous for Delhi's technical education system. The sudden formation of DSEU has jeopardized both the future of thousands of students and the service conditions of hundreds of staff members."

According to the protesters, DSEU was established overnight through a cabinet decision by merging existing government polytechnic institutes.

They claimed more than a thousand employees were transferred to the new university under "deemed deputation" without proper stakeholder consultation, formal gazette notification, or options given to the staff regarding their service conditions.

The forum also raised concerns over the university's failure to obtain necessary approvals.

"DSEU has not secured the AICTE's (All India Council for Technical Education) recognition for its diploma programmes. As a result, students are finding themselves ineligible for numerous government and private jobs," Malik added.

The protesters urged the Delhi government to take immediate corrective steps to safeguard the interests of both students and employees.

"We want restoration of Delhi's once well-regarded technical education system and assurance that students' future is not compromised," the forum said in its appeal.

The demonstration at Jantar Mantar witnessed participation from staff across several polytechnic institutions now functioning under DSEU.