Delhi University (DU) teachers are protesting the mandatory implementation of an Aadhaar-Based Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS). The university plans to link faculty salaries to this system starting January 2026 , threatening to withhold pay for non-compliance.
The Academic for Action and Development Teachers’ Association (AADTA), alongside representatives from various statutory bodies, sent a letter to the DU Vice Chancellor. They condemned the new mandate as “coercive,” stating it significantly damages academic autonomy within the university.
Mandatory Attendance Directive
The university recently issued a communication directing all employees to mark their attendance through the Aadhaar-linked biometric system. This directive includes specific instructions to deans, department heads, and officers to ensure full compliance. Failure to adhere to these new rules could result in disciplinary action against staff.
Teachers have labeled the measure “arbitrary” and “intimidating.” They contend that directly linking attendance to salary fundamentally undermines the professional dignity of educators. The official AADTA letter explicitly states, “Salary is a legitimate right earned through service and cannot be withheld as a punitive measure.”
Concerns Over Academic Freedom
The new directive has generated considerable anxiety and unrest among the DU faculty. Teachers argue that robust mechanisms already exist to ensure faculty attendance and accountability. These include established University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, various university ordinances, and long-standing academic norms governing conduct and performance.
AADTA emphasized that the multifaceted role of faculty cannot be reduced solely to a biometric scan. Their responsibilities encompass teaching, conducting research, overseeing examinations, engaging in fieldwork, participating in extension activities, and fulfilling a range of other crucial academic duties. These responsibilities extend far beyond simply marking a presence physically.
The association also pointed out a significant contradiction in the university’s approach. Faculty members were previously assured that the proposal to impose biometric attendance had been discarded. However, the current, continued enforcement of these administrative instructions directly contradicts those earlier statements, leading to confusion and mistrust.
AADTA Objections and Demands
AADTA raised additional points of contention, including the university’s practice of referring to colleges as generic “units.” The association asserted that Delhi University colleges are distinct, statutory academic institutions. Reducing them to mere administrative units diminishes their unique institutional autonomy and identity.
Furthermore, teachers criticized the decision-making process itself. They argued that imposing such significant changes to service conditions through executive instructions alone constitutes “governance by diktat,” rather than through democratic deliberation. AADTA believes that any proposal impacting employee service conditions must be thoroughly discussed and approved via statutory bodies, following meaningful consultation with affected faculty.
In response to these concerns, AADTA has issued clear demands. They seek the immediate withdrawal of the mandatory biometric attendance requirement. Additionally, the association requires an explicit assurance that no salaries will be withheld based on non-compliance with this new system. Finally, AADTA calls for the initiation of constructive dialogue between the faculty and the university administration to resolve the dispute.
The situation remains a point of contention within Delhi University. The outcome of the teachers’ ongoing protest and the administration’s subsequent response will determine the future of this attendance policy, particularly as the January 2026 deadline approaches for potential salary withholding.