Delhi University ordered to ‘denotify’ UCMS Delhi, transfer assets to Delhi Government by April 1

NEW DELHI: From April 1, 2025, the administrative and financial control of University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS), a Delhi University-maintained medical college will be in the hands of Delhi Government. The newly-formed BJP government in the Capital has ordered DU to denotify the college from its list of institutions and dissolve UCMS Delhi’s executive council.

The March 18 order from Delhi Government’s health and family welfare department has also requested the finance department to allot Rs.100 crore to the institution on urgent basis.

DU teachers have raised objections against the order and said the new government should not have rushed into the matter.

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DU vice chancellor Yogesh Singh did not respond to calls.

Functioning of UCMS Delhi

UCMS Delhi is the only DU-maintained medical college.

Established in 1971, it first ran from Delhi University’s chemistry block. Since a medical college needs a linked hospital, students went as far as Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial (LLRM) Medical College, Meerut, for clinical classes for a while.

In 1973, the college temporarily moved to Safdarjung Hospital, awaiting link-up with a new . 500-bed hospital that was coming up in east Delhi. In 1986, UCMS moved to its current location in Dilshad Garden and was associated with Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital (GTBH).

Its administrative problems have their roots in this shift. UCMS Delhi is funded by the ministry of education via the University Grants Commission. The hospital is managed and funded by the Delhi Government.

Takeover matter in court

Delhi University, a central institution, and the Delhi government have fought over the control of the medical college for decades. In 2016, the Delhi High Court stayed a transfer to the Delhi Government.

The issue re-emerged with the death of a man in January, 2024 due to the unavailability of CT scan machines in Delhi’s hospitals.

On April 15, 2024 a committee with the dean of Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) as chairman and five other members was constituted to “examine all aspects of handing over/taking over of UCMS by GNCTD from Delhi University”.

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Delhi government order

The order states that all assets and liabilities including land, building, equipment/machine records and infrastructure shall stand transferred to Delhi Government.

About the teaching and non-teaching staff of the medical institution, the order states, “The staff shall stand transferred to Delhi government in their positions/posts as per salary being drawn. Service conditions of these staff shall continue to remain the same till these are altered by specific orders of the government of NCT of Delhi in this regard. Terms and conditions of employment of staff of UCMS, their mergers in appropriate cadres in the government of NCT of Delhi and determination of inter-seniority shall be examined by the committee which will be constituted by NCT of Delhi in due course.”

Teachers teaching at the institution have raised several problems with the transfer in the past and how it would affect their service conditions. The main issue – from central government employees, they now become state employees, with significant variation in employee benefits between the two.

It also adds there will be budgetary allocation made to the institution but has ordered that Rs.100 crore emergent funds be sanctioned so that the college does not face any financial hiccups in the process of taking over.

“The account will be settled in due course when the process of taking over will become normal,” added the order.