New Delhi: Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh on Thursday said the varsity would continue to keep under its affiliation 12 of its colleges that are fully funded by the state government.
The vice-chancellor's statement came in response to the AAP-led Delhi government's refusal to finance these colleges unless they became a part of the state universities.
In a letter to the Centre in December last year, Delhi Education Minister Atishi had flagged alleged financial irregularities in these 12 colleges.
"We are committed to our stand," Singh told PTI, adding that he hoped the state government would continue financially supporting the 12 colleges viewing the interest of students.
Asked about a letter written by Singh to Atishi addressing the issue, the Delhi government denied receiving any such communication.
"We have not received any letter from the Delhi University as of now. The Delhi government will only provide funding to these colleges once they are de-affiliated from DU and become part of one of Delhi's state universities," the state government said in a statement to PTI on Thursday.
The Delhi government said it will not release funding for the academic year 2024-25 to the 12 colleges unless they are completely transferred under the state. It added that if the de-merger does not take place, the funding of these colleges will have to come from the Centre or the University Grants Commission.
"Funding will categorically not be granted unless these colleges are transferred, given the irregularities in these colleges," it added.
However, the Delhi University on Thursday made public the letter sent by the VC to Atishi dated January 16.
In the letter, Singh requested the minister to withdraw the letter written by her to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and continue the funding of the 12 colleges in the interest of students.
"I request yourself (Atishi) the DO letter dated 01.12.2023 may please be withdrawn and continuity of funding to these colleges may not be disturbed in the interest of students of Delhi," the letter read.
In the letter to the education minister, the vice-chancellor also reasoned that the de-affiliation cannot take place since these colleges are the constituent colleges of the University of Delhi as per the Delhi University Act 1922 passed by the Parliament.
It further said that the DU Executive Council in its meeting on December 15, 2023, had resolved that all the 12 colleges are constituent colleges of the university, therefore, the question of de-affiliation of these colleges does not arise.
Earlier last year, Atishi wrote to the Centre flagging “irregularities” in 12 colleges of the Delhi University that are funded by the city government.
She highlighted several serious irregularities and procedural lapses involving hundreds of crores of rupees from the public exchequer. “Since these colleges are directly affiliated with DU, they are not answerable to the Delhi government for the judicious utilisation of funds,” she had said.
With PTI inputs