Amid the ongoing row between the Delhi government and the 12 Delhi University colleges fully funded by the former, the varsity’s Vice-Chancellor wrote to Education Minister Atishi saying the colleges will remain with it and the state should continue funding them, The Indian Express has learnt.
In the letter dated January 16, V-C Yogesh Singh said: “… all stakeholders comprising students, teaching and non-teaching staff, residents of Delhi, government. etc have the pride of being associated with the University of Delhi. Any such letter issued by the government may make an adverse impact on the future of the students and also affect the teaching-learning environment of the university.” He reiterated that “the question of de-affiliation of these colleges does not arise”.
The V-C added, “In view of the above, on behalf of the university, and personally too, I request (that) the… letter dated 01.12.2023 may please be withdrawn and continuity of funding these colleges may not be disturbed in the interest of students.”
Singh was referring to Atishi’s letter to Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan last month, in which she alleged “irregularities” in the 12 colleges and asked to either bring the institutions under the Delhi government or let the Centre take full control of them.
The Delhi government said it has not received any letter from DU as of now. “Our stance is crystal clear: the Delhi government will only provide funding to these colleges once they are de-affiliated from Delhi University and become part of one of Delhi’s state universities. In the upcoming financial year, funding will categorically not be granted unless these colleges are transferred, given the irregularities in these colleges. If Delhi University decides not to de-affiliate these colleges, their funding will have to come from the central government or UGC,” said sources in the government.
A DU official, on condition of anonymity, said: “These colleges are ours. The Delhi government is the funding agency… It is the government’s statutory and constitutional responsibility to continue funding them. We cannot change the affiliation of these colleges as these are DU’s constituent colleges.”
Last month, DU’s Executive Council formed a committee to address the allegations pointed out in Atishi’s letter; it will submit its report in 15 days, after which it will be sent to the Delhi and central governments.
A member of this committee, on condition of anonymity, said, “The V-C has written to the Delhi government as the committee has requested him to do so. There is no question of de-affiliation of these colleges and this was passed by the previous EC (meeting)… the law does not permit de-affiliation as these are constituent in nature.”
The committee has not submitted its report yet, the member confirmed.
Another committee member, also on the condition of anonymity, said, “So far, only two meetings have happened and a third is scheduled. Nothing is concrete as of now, but all we can say is that we are coming up with solutions to solve this issue in a manner that teaching and non-teaching staff and the functioning of these colleges are not affected at any cost.”
The issue between the government and these colleges has been a long-standing one, with the former insisting that funds would be released only after governing bodies are constituted according to rules. Teachers have accused the government of delaying salaries.
Last year in April, the government released Rs 100 crore in the first quarter for the 12 colleges.