Delhi University teachers write to VC for 'best legal representation' in College of Art affiliation case

NEW DELHI: Contending that Ambedkar University (AU) is "stealthily snatching" College of Art (CoA) from Delhi University, 11 members of DU Academics for Action and Development have urged Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh to secure the "best legal representation" for the varsity in the matter. In a letter to Singh, they said the CoA is facing a "harsh situation of losing its identity and existence". "In the last hearing in Delhi High Court on May 17, due to poor representation on behalf of the DU, the order went in favour of AU. The university has been asked to conduct admission to CoA as part of AUD. We have asked the vice-chancellor for proper representation," said Seema Das, a member of the DU’s Executive Council and one of the authors of the letter.

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In the letter to Singh, the teachers noted that the interim order "went in favour of AUD" as far as the admission for the current session is concerned. "The same order has given two weeks to DU for filing an appeal and nowhere does it endorse the merger of CoA with Dr B R Ambedkar University," the letter pointed out.

The letter comes a day after Ambedkar University, which is funded by the Delhi government, announced that a committee has been constituted to ensure a "smooth" process for admission in various courses of College of Art for the academic year 2022-23. The teachers have requested Singh to secure the best legal representation for Delhi University through top lawyers and seek a stay of the order directing the admission process under AUD as well as for the appointment of the dean by filing the appropriate appeal against such order in the competent court.

College of Art admissions

"Get an order of the competent court that in the pendency of the matter before the Delhi High Court and a judicial order on merits, the admission process for the coming year (s) in College of Art to be carried out under the aegis of the University of Delhi," the letter read.

In April, the DU had asked the College of Art to start its admission process and had informed the institute that it would not be de-affiliated from the university. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor had earlier given in-principle approval to the merger of the College of Art with the Ambedkar University, subject to its de-affiliation from the DU. However, the Executive Council of the Delhi University, its highest decision-making body, refused to de-affiliate the college.

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In March last year, the Delhi government announced that the College of Art would be affiliated with Ambedkar University, as the college was facing various problems. Eleven teachers of the DU’s Academics for Action and Development last week wrote to the vice-chancellor, seeking his intervention after the College of Art started its admission process as a part of the Ambedkar University. In a letter, the 11 teachers, including members of the DU's Executive Council and Academic Council, said such an "unfortunate action" of the Ambedkar University is in contravention of the statutes of the Delhi University.