[Reader-list] Who is Afraid of Copyright Infringement?

[Devika Narayan]

*You are invited to a Public Meeting titled

Who is Afraid of Copyright Infringement?

Speakers/Authors who will sign photocopies of their books and speak on the
issue copyright infringement:

* Arundhati Roy (Author & Public Intellectual)
* Aditya Nigam (Senior Fellow, CSDS)
* Nivedita Menon (Prof, JNU)
* Sudhanva Deshpande (Managing Editor, LeftWorld Books)
* Anuja Agarwal (Associate Prof, Sociology, Delhi School of
Economics)
* Subhash Gatade (Author & Activist)
* Ujjwal Singh (Prof, Dept. of Political Science, DU)
* Deepak Mehta (Associate Prof, Sociology, Delhi School of
Economics)

Front Lawns, Department of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics
*
*Two p.m*
*Wed, 10th Oct*

Background:

A consortium of international publishing houses including Oxford University
Press, Cambridge University Press and Taylor & Francis has recently taken
issue with the practice of compiling and selling ‘course packs’ and
photocopying of academic material, essential to academic conduct in the
University. They have filed a legal suit against Delhi University and DSE
photocopy shop (M/s Rameshwari Photocopy Service) for copyright
infringement. Furthermore, they have claimed more than 60 lakh rupees in
damages. Following this, the RTL (library on DSE campus) had reacted by
severing its link with the photocopy shop with which they previously had an
open and systematic relationship. Campaign pressure contributed to this
decision being reversed at a meeting between the different HoDs and the
Director of DSE on 10/09/12.

The ‘course packs’ in question are compilations of reading lists prescribed
by teachers in various departments of the University. The prescribed
reading lists mostly include selected chapters from books. These books are
too expensive for ordinary students to buy otherwise. These course packs
are central to the way that education is practiced in this University. As
per Section 52(1) (h) of the Indian Copyright Act, “(h) the reproduction of
a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work- (i) by a teacher or a pupil
in the course of instruction; or (ii) as part of the questions to be
answered in an examination; or (iii) in answers to such questions” is
permissible and constitutes an exception to the Act. Also there is no
quantitative restriction on the amount of material that can be photocopied.
Legal safeguards such as these ensure that the goal of education have a
value in themselves and cannot be reduced to the commercial interests of
publishing houses. There are such incentives available in the legal system
which protects our democratic right to education.

What is really striking about this case is that it does not mention the
concern of the student body at all. This should not be seen as an isolated
incident; it is part of a general trend of promoting commercial and private
interests in Higher Education in the name of reforms. Rising fees,
breakneck semesterisation of undergraduate courses compromising course
content and form despite stiff resistance by teachers and students,
initiation of quasi-academic Meta University programmes, etc. are concrete
examples of this change. This trend is characterized by an anti-student
attitude of the University administration, which does not take on board
student concerns while deciding on matters that affect their future.

The University must in this case take a stance of principled opposition to
the allegations made by these monopoly publishing houses. It should defend
the right of students to affordable access to educational materials within
the University. Also there is need for introspection when it comes to
promotion criteria of academics employed by the University where a premium
is put on being published by these big publishing houses, who as this case
clearly shows, are only driven by the profit motive.

It is imperative that the student body create pressure on the University
administration and influence public opinion around this issue. In order to
educate ourselves the campaign is organizing a public event [NAME OF EVENT]
on 19/09/12 at the D School campus. Acclaimed authors and University
professors, some of whose work has been published by the same publishers
will speak about the injustice of this particular action by OUP, CUP and
Taylor& Francis, and in defense of students’ right to affordable access
their work.
Calling all students, faculty members and concerned citizens to join the
Campaign and resist the strong arm tactics of monopoly publishing houses
and defend the democratic right to education!