2 of 12 DU colleges dry for funds, fears of govt absorbing colleges

New Delhi: The feud between the 12 Delhi University colleges fully funded by the Delhi government and the Delhi government took another turn with only 10 colleges receiving funds in the third quarter leaving Bhagini Nivedita College and Maharishi Balmiki College of Education to look out for themselves, a member of the DU Executive Council said on Monday.

While the teachers have been protesting against the government's decision to withhold funds and the latter citing "mismanagement" as its reason, fact remains that teachers have not been paid their dues for six months, a professor at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College said on account of anonymity.

The government not releasing funds is one problem and that even when it releases, it is inadequate, is another. "The amount of Rs 82.79 crore under salary head and Rs 9.50 crore under other salaries head was released which is way lesser than what is usually given in the third quarter. They should have released Rs 100 crore as pending salaries are also there. How will the colleges function?" Rajesh Jha, DU Executive Council member said.

"The entire feud is likely to affect the upcoming admissions in May-June as students will not want their curriculum getting affected with the ongoing financial issues," the professor added. "We are unable to pay

property tax which doesn't look good for the colleges. There is no assurance from the government that there will be regular funding or whether

it will be restored or not. There has been no communication from the government's end," another member of the Council said.

Apprehensions among faculty and Council members are rising dramatically with each move by the government being perceived as a way to take complete control over the colleges and bring the administration under it.

"We are funded by the government but aren't run by it. What is the point of being termed as independent if the government will dictate everything," the professor from DDU College added.

The government's decision to disaffiliate Delhi College of Art from DU and bring it under the Ambedkar University as a department has added fuel to apprehensions that the same could happen to other colleges.

"The central and state governments are both involved in it. When we approached the L-G, he turned a deaf ear to us," Jha alleged.

"They (state government) are making changes in the structuring of the committee and faculty along with changes in the pattern of assistance," Jha added.