Atishi to Centre: Handover control of 12 colleges

NEW DELHI | Updated: 02 December, 2023 5:03 pm IST

AAP Education Minister Atishi Marlena

NEW DELHI: Delhi’s Higher Education Minister, Atishi, has sent a detailed letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, spotlighting irregularities in the functioning of 12 Delhi government-funded colleges affiliated with the state university. These concerns revolve around a spectrum of issues pointing to substantial financial mismanagement, potentially amounting to hundreds of crores from public funds.

“From unauthorised appointments to delayed payments, there is a long list of irregularities in these 12 colleges. There are unauthorised appointments with colleges having created posts and engaged teaching and non-teaching staff without the requisite approvals. Salaries worth several crores are being paid to individuals who were never appointed through established procedures,” Atishi stated in the letter.

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Expressing apprehension about the lack of adequate oversight from both DU and the Directorate of Higher Education of the Government of NCT Delhi, Atishi proposed two solutions to tackle the prevailing situation.

The first proposition suggested the potential de-affiliation of these 12 colleges from DU. It involves empowering the Delhi government to designate these colleges as part of either ‘Ambedkar University’ or ‘Delhi Skills and Entrepreneurship University,’ with full funding provided by the Government of NCT Delhi. The colleges may subsequently evolve into autonomous degree-granting institutions in alignment with the National Education Policy 2020.

The second option proposed that if the colleges remain affiliated with DU, the Centre should assume direct responsibility for their complete funding through institutions like the University Grants Commission (UGC) or the proposed Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC).

Atishi emphasised the Kejriwal government’s commitment to ensuring the education of students studying in these colleges by prioritising their governance. The letter concluded with a plea for urgent action, urging a time-bound solution within the remaining months of the current financial year. Atishi expressed the intent to collaborate closely with the Ministry of Education to find a sustainable and effective resolution for these colleges, aligning them with the aspirations of their students.