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New Delhi, DU Campus, Heena Kausar and Prerna Lidhoo (DM): He’s supposed to lead from the front, but Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Dinesh Singh is missing in action. He hasn’t been seen after Tuesday afternoon even as his university sinks deeper into the mire and chaos of an admissions crisis. He doesn’t answer the phone, and there’s nobody speaking on his behalf.
UGC fail to resolve admissions scrap and Delhi University vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh’s drama
The V-C is believed to be cooped up in his residence, away from the public glare.
What makes matters worse in the present deadlock is that neither the Delhi University nor the University Grants Commission seem to be sincere about reaching a solution.
Instead of sorting out the mess sitting face-to-face, the two warring sides have resorted to exchanging letters, each content to put the ball in the other’s court.
On Wednesday night the UGC had directed the university to start admissions from Thursday after scrapping FYUP.
But keeping at its delay tactics, the university wrote back to the UGC saying that in the given situation when admissions are being delayed, time is the essence and hence a proposal given by a group of academicians – reportedly close to the vice-chancellor – should be implemented.
“You will appreciate that admissions cannot take place to a course of study for which necessary approvals have not been obtained. The Act, Statues, and Ordinances require that the course of study needs to be moved through the Committee of Courses of the various departments, Faculty meetings, Academic Council and Executive Council prior to their coming to into force and will therefore take substantial time,” said DU’s letter.
Meanwhile, not a word has been heard from the V-C, who has holed himself up at his residence ever since his media coordinator Malay Neerav announced by mistake that he has resigned.
Neerav had to eat his text message soon after on the same day. Except for a few close aides, no one has been allowed an audience with Singh and he has not made any public statement. It has not gone down well with many, particularly Singh’s detractors.
“Not coming out to communicate with teachers and students at this juncture is dereliction of duty. He should resign for playing with the future of lakhs of students,” said Nandita Narain, president of Delhi University Teachers’ Association.
She also said DU’s letter to the UGC is only eyewash.
Sources also alleged that behind the veil of silence and its letters, DU is just trying to delay a final solution and put the blame on the UGC for that.
“What the V-C is doing is to throw the ball in the UGC’s court. Under the garb of formalities and due procedures cited in the letter, he is suggesting that let the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) or a similar structure remain, and admissions be started. We all know that the academicians who suggested this fake alternative are his cronies,” said Narain.
Meanwhile, sticking to DU’s stand its media coordinator Neerav on Thursday said: “We received a new proposal on Wednesday wherein the honours degree will be given in three years and the optional fourth year could be used to offer research in Honours. We won’t need much time to implement this proposal.”
ABVP supporters protest against the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme at Delhi University’s North Campus
ABVP supporters protest against the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme at Delhi University’s North Campus
Neerav also had a tiff with few television journalists on Thursday, rebuking them for their persistent questions, the inglorious retreat into his room looping endlessly on TV channels through the day.
The university also hinted that it was not keen on reverting to the three-year structure.
“This may considerably reduce the time required for reviewing and adopting the older undergraduate courses that existed before introduction of FYUP,” the letter said.
DU also took potshots at the committee constituted by the UGC to suggest an easy migration to the three-year structure.
“The necessary modalities of effecting this change that was to be sent to the university by the committee set up by the UGC have also not been received,” it said.
The committee cancelled its meeting on Thursday after UGC vice-chairman & professor H. Devaraj, fell ill. As the deadlock continues, academicians say what is happening in DU only shows what is wrong with higher education.
“Whatever is going on is not good for the higher education. Both the sides are locked in. They will have to respond and talk to each other face-to-face to find a solution,” said a former DU V-C on condition of anonymity
Outstation students stuck in the Capital
He travelled all the way from Kathmandu to New Delhi hoping to get admission in the Delhi University and start a new chapter in his life. But Shikhar Manandhar from Nepal has been waiting since Monday for DU V-C and UGC to resolve the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) mess and start admissions.
“I am staying at my cousin’s place in Safdurjung but how long can I stay there. There is no word from DU on admissions. I have come from so far and I am stuck now,” said Manandhar.
He is among the two thousand other foreign students who have applied to DU for various undergraduate courses.
DU aspirants from other cities are also stuck in the middle of the chaos. Confusion seems to besiege them with each passing day.
While the FYUP rollback has already triggered uncertain reactions among them, the delayed admission process is further testing their patience.
“I have relatives in Gurgaon and Faridabad but it is getting embarrassing to stay with them for so long. I will take admission in Aligarh Muslim University to be on the safe side. My dreams seem to be going for a toss,” said Asiya Naqvi an aspirant from Aligarh.
With the unending silence from the varsity’s side, students are bound to reserve seats in other college, as their futures are at stake.
“My first priority is DU but my parents are keen I take up a course in some other university,” Salima, an arts aspirant from Patna, said.
