Committed to our stand, de-affiliation out of question: DU VC amid college funding row with government

NEW DELHI: Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh on Thursday said the varsity would continue to keep under its affiliation 12 of its colleges that are fully funded by the Delhi government. The vice chancellor's statement came in response to the AAP-led Delhi government's refusal to finance these colleges unless they became a part of the state universities. In a letter to the Centre in December last year, Delhi Education Minister Atishi had flagged alleged financial irregularities in these 12 colleges.

"We are committed to our stand," Singh told PTI, adding that he hoped the Delhi government would continue financially supporting the 12 colleges in view of the interest of students. In response to a letter from the DU VC addressed to her, Atishi said that a special audit report conducted in 2020 on six of the twelve colleges highlight numerous instances of "grave irregularities and procedural lapses" of the "highest levels" in expenditure exceeding hundreds of crores.

"Despite these issues, only University of Delhi has the authority to address them. The colleges received substantial annual grants exceeding Rs 300 crore, which are the public exchequer's funds, making the Delhi government's accountable. Hence, Delhi Government will only fund these colleges until they are affiliated to the state universities," she told PTI. It's crucial to underscore that despite these glaring issues, only the Delhi University, and not the Government of NCT, possesses the authority to address and rectify these irregularities, she added.

She further stated that there have been multiple instances where the colleges have "blatantly disregarded" established procedures and "flouted prescribed norms." "A fundamental norm was brazenly violated as their respective Governing Bodies (GBs) went on to create 1,365 teaching staff posts and 1,173 non-teaching staff posts. It's crucial to take cognisance of the fact that, out of these, the Government of Delhi has approved a mere 426 teaching staff posts and 215 non-teaching staff posts, starkly exposing the extent of the deviation," Atishi said.

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She said that an urgent and comprehensive inquiry must be undertaken by the university to ascertain and hold accountable the officials responsible for the "arbitrary and illicit decisions" that have led to the "misappropriation of funds" from the public exchequer. Earlier in the day, the Delhi government said it will not release funding for the academic year 2024-25 to the 12 colleges unless they are completely transferred under the state, adding that if the de-merger does not take place, the funding for these colleges will have to come from the Centre or the University Grants Commission.

In the letter by Singh dated 16 January, he requested the minister to withdraw the letter written by her to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and continue the funding of the 12 colleges in the interest of students. "I request yourself (Atishi) the DO letter dated 01.12.2023 may please be withdrawn and continuity of funding to these colleges may not be disturbed in the interest of students of Delhi," the letter read.

In the letter to the education minister, the vice chancellor also reasoned that the de-affiliation cannot take place since these colleges are the constituent colleges of the University of Delhi as per the Delhi University Act 1922 passed by the Parliament. It further said that the DU Executive Council in its meeting on December 15, 2023 had resolved that all the 12 colleges are constituent colleges of the university, therefore, the question of de-affiliation of these colleges does not arise.

Earlier last year, Atishi wrote to the Centre flagging "irregularities" in 12 colleges of the Delhi University that are funded by the city government. She highlighted several serious irregularities and procedural lapses involving hundreds of crores of rupees from the public exchequer.