The University Grants Commission (UGC) has called the recent decision of the Teachers Association to go on strike to protest against the government's steps to introduce accountability in higher education, as "unfortunate"; and further said that if either the Delhi University Teachers association DUTA or any other teacher's body decided to go ahead with such a strike, the UGC  would be forced to consider "'no work no pay" rule.  It was unfortunate that despite the UGC and the government providing substantial pay package and incentives, the teachers were going on increasing their demands.

Issues that have led to discord include: withdrawl of the professor promotion from college readers,  lowering the retirement age of librarians, introduction of super selection grade and super time grade, parity to librarians with teachers and professor promotion after 17 years of experience.

DUTA has threatened to go on strike on October 16 to protest against the UGC for dishonouring earlier written agreements on various issues reached with the teachers organisations.  The Federation of Central Universities Teachers' Association, lending support, has also decided to organise a massive aggression on October 19.

At a recent Press conference the UGC Chairman said that teachers were merely holding students as "hostages" with a view to press for their personal demands. The protests were uncalled for as UGC had not gone back on any of the earlier decisions.  He said all that the UGC had done was to clarify that the reader to professor promotion through the Career Advancement Scheme will not be applicable in the colleges but only in University Departments.

The chairman said that by going on strike the   Prof. Gautam said that the demands were "Unfortunate, unfair and unjustified" and teachers should commit themselves to the teachers code of ethics.