Delhi University shuts down today as teachers strike over professor's discharge

By TUF News Desk · Published 3 November 2026 · 4 min read

Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy

Classes across the University of Delhi stand suspended today, November 3, after the Delhi University Teachers’ Association called a one-day strike and a total shutdown. The teachers’ body announced the action on November 2, at an emergency meeting of its executive, and asked staff associations in colleges to mobilise teachers so the shutdown held across the university.

At the centre of the dispute is the discharge of Saripalli V Ravikiran, an assistant professor of political science at the university’s Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE), formerly known as the School of Open Learning. The university removed him from service with immediate effect, following a recommendation by the CDOE Governing Body that Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh approved.

The row goes back to self-learning material Ravikiran prepared for BA political science students. The material drew objections from sections of the university community over remarks and references concerning Dr B R Ambedkar, women, feminism and terrorism. The university’s case, as set out in the discharge order reported on November 3, rests on his service record rather than on a single passage in that material.

What the discharge order says

Ravikiran joined the university on February 29, 2024, on probation, after an advertisement dated May 23, 2023. The order says his performance during the initial probation period was not satisfactory, so his probation was extended by one year through an office letter dated February 7, 2025.

During that extended period, the order says, his work and conduct remained unsatisfactory. It also says the CDOE informed him of his shortcomings from time to time and told him about the action the centre was taking, and that he was given several opportunities for personal hearings and to submit written explanations.

On that basis, the CDOE Governing Body recommended discharge. The order cites Clause 7(9) of Ordinance XVIII and Point No. 7 of the Form of Agreement of Service of College Teachers under the Annexure to Ordinance XII. It also makes one point clear for Ravikiran’s future: the discharge does not disqualify him from applying for posts at the University of Delhi, other colleges or in government service.

A dispute that had already run for months

The November discharge did not arrive out of nowhere. The Indian Express reported in May 2026 that teachers and students had already written to the Vice-Chancellor about the study material, and that disciplinary proceedings against Ravikiran were under way at that time. Internal documents cited in that report alleged factual errors and offensive content in the material, and an external review of a course on understanding Ambedkar criticised the material for relying too heavily on the Manusmriti while giving too little attention to Ambedkar’s own writings.

That history is part of why the teachers’ association has taken the position it has. In its November 2 communication, the association described the action against the CDOE teacher as an “unjust termination”. It decided unanimously to hold the one-day strike on November 3, and its message to teachers said classes would remain suspended for the day.

For students, the immediate effect is practical. A suspended teaching day can shift lectures, tutorials and internal assessment work, and the timing will differ from college to college. Students should check notices from their own college for what has moved, rather than assuming every department has handled the day the same way. The University of Delhi is a central university, and the differences between central, state and private institutions are set out in our guide to central, state and private universities.

No further step beyond the November 3 shutdown was set out in the teachers’ association communication reported on Tuesday. Students and teachers will be watching whether the university responds to the association’s demand, and whether the association announces any further action. For now, the one concrete change on campus is the discharge itself, and the one concrete instruction from the teachers’ body is that teaching stopped for November 3.

Students who want the university’s own position should check the official University of Delhi website for any notice it publishes.

Frequently asked questions

Why are Delhi University classes suspended on November 3, 2026?

The Delhi University Teachers’ Association called a one-day strike and total shutdown on November 3 to protest against the discharge of a Centre for Distance and Online Education assistant professor. Its communication said classes would remain suspended that day.

Who is the professor at the centre of the Delhi University dispute?

Saripalli V Ravikiran, an assistant professor of political science at the university’s Centre for Distance and Online Education, formerly the School of Open Learning. The university discharged him from service with immediate effect.

What did the university say about the discharge?

The discharge order, as reported, cited continuous unsatisfactory performance during an extended probation period. It said the professor had been given opportunities for personal hearings and written explanations.

Does the discharge bar the professor from future university jobs?

No. The order clarified that the discharge would not disqualify him from applying for future positions at the University of Delhi, other colleges or government services.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: The Tribune, The Indian Express