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DU’s Proposal for seeking Funds Rejected by MHRD

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A proposal was put forward by the Delhi University Administration in order to ask for funds for the construction of new infrastructure but it has been struck down by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

The Delhi University administration asked the Ministry of Human Resource Development for Rs 5000 crore for the construction of a few buildings for the use by the University, but this proposal has been struck down by the MHRD. The MHRD termed the proposal as ‘unjustifiable’ and ‘over-hyped’.

According to sources, the DU administration submitted a quotation for the construction of buildings and had sought Rs 7,000 per square meter on an average, which was objected by the finance committee members who termed the quotation “unjustifiable”.

However, the issue of funds crunch has been raised by the Delhi University administration at various platforms, but the money that it had already hasn’t been spent by it and was returned to the University Grants Commission.

An elected member of DU’s finance committee said, “The DU administration has failed to spend Rs 300 crore it had received for the construction of buildings and other development work. The unspent money has already been returned to the University Grants Commission. Due to the short-sightedness and lethargic approach of the DU administration, the funds had lapsed”, as quoted in Sunday Guardian.

A proposal for a fund to the tune of Rs 5000 crore for the construction of buildings in DU was submitted by the DU administration in March during the finance committee meeting where MHRD officials were present. But the quotation that it had put up was considered to be too high. The DU proposal had sought Rs 7,000 per square meter as construction charges, which, compared to current market rates available for the construction of any building in Delhi, is more than thrice. Thus, MHRD officials openly criticized the DU administration and struck down the proposal, terming it unjustifiable and overhyped.

According to sources, the DU administration also sought for clearance of old bills of contractors but the validity of this demand was questioned by the finance committee on the basis that some of these bills are pending for over three decades. A similar demand was raised by DU to sought Rs 40 crore to clear a bill, but the original tender was of Rs 6 crore.

Abha Dev Habib, former member, Executive Council, DU told DU Beat, “While the UGC/MHRD has the right to scrutinize any proposal seeking a grant, increasingly the fear is that refusal to give grants will become a way to push universities to take loans for infrastructural requirements through Higher Education Funding Agency. These loans will have to be repaid primarily through student’s fees. We also want to add that right now the focus of the Government and universities should be infrastructure and manpower expansion required to cater to the EWS expansion. Unless this is done on a priority basis, universities will fail to cater to the increased number of students to intake on the count of EWS quota starting from this academic session.”

Thus it can be said that if the grants aren’t approved by the MHRD, then a hike in the fees of the students can be expected.

Image credits: DU Beat archives.

Priya Chauhan

[email protected]

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Campus Central

Delhi University Won’t Come Under ESMA: MHRD

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After a UGC circular that hinted at bringing the University of Delhi under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) gained much criticism, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) issued a clarification and refuted the speculation. 

The clarification came out with a tweet by Mr. R. Subramanyam the Secretary of Higher Education. His tweet said that the idea to ban strikes in the examination services came from some affected students during the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) strike, however, the ministry has decided not to proceed with the suggestion after examining it.

MHRD Minister, Mr. Prakash Javadekar, also tweeted that the Ministry does not intend to put any restrictions on universities, however, he didn’t pointedly comment on ESMA.

The Essential Services Maintenance Act is an act of parliament which has been established to ensure the delivery of certain services such as public transportation, sanitation and health services so that they are not affected during strikes. 

The move to include DU under the ambit of ESMA has come as the University witnessed a prolonged evaluation boycott twice in the past two years. In 2016 DUTA had boycotted the evaluation for 55 days in protest against the changed workload condition. This year witnessed another boycott for over 40 days in protest of the recent schemes of government such as autonomy, change in roster policy, etc.

The implementation of the ESMA implies that the teaching, as well as the non-teaching staff and students, will be prohibited from indulging in actions that will disrupt and affect activities in the University. A seven-member group had been formed earlier this month to submit a report within thirty days as MHRD directed for a committee to examine the feasibility of bringing the teaching and evaluation methods of a university under ESMA.

ESMA has received criticism on behalf of many, especially the Federation of Central University Teachers’ Association when their former president, Aditya Narayan Mishra, stated that the MHRD’s new order was an attack on the debate, discussion as well as the spirit of enquiry and scholarship. There has been widespread criticism of ESMA for some of its clauses. According to the Clause (VIII) of ESMA, it states that anybody can be arrested for investigation even without a warrant.

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

With inputs from India Today.

Avnika Chhikara

[email protected]

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Campus Central

IISC Bengaluru Declared as the Best University, Miranda House Tops the College Category in NIRF India Rankings 2018

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The Minister of Human Resource Development (HRD), Prakash Javadekar, announced the 2018 National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) rankings at an event in Vigyan Bhawan.

The Ministry Of Human Resource Development’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranked Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru as the overall best institution in the country. At an event in the Vigyan Bhawan, the Minister of Human Resource Development (HRD), Prakash Javadekar announced the NIRF rankings wherein, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad was declared the best management institution and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras bagged the position of best engineering college. In the University Rankings, IISC Bengaluru stood first, followed by Jawahar Lal Nehru University (JNU), and Banaras Hindu University (BHU). The premier healthcare institute All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, was ranked the number one institute under the medical college category. University of Delhi’s Miranda House, situated in North Campus, was announced as the best college, and National Law School of India University (NLSIU) Bengaluru, stood first in the law school category.  Other eminent colleges of Delhi University, like, Hindu College, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, and Shree Ram college of Commerce were also part of the top 10 colleges in India for the year 2018.

This year, NIRF added medical, dental, architecture and law categories in its rankings, apart from the other four categories of 2016, Universities, Engineering, Management and Pharmacy. A total of 4000 institutions had applied this year, in comparison to the 3000 that were considered last year. The rankings have acquired much significance as the performance of the institutions is linked the “Institutions of Eminence” scheme.

The top 5 colleges given are:

1. Miranda House, University of Delhi

miranda

Image Credits: Miranda House.

 

2. St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi

St.-Stephens-735x400

Image Credits: St. Stephen’s College.

 

3. Bishop Heber College, Tiruchirappalli

TY04COLLEGE hindu

Image Credits: The Hindu.

 

4. Hindu College, University of Delhi

hindu-college1 hindu college

Image Credits: Hindu College.

 

5. Presidency College, Chennai

446237-presidencycollege dna india

Image Credits: DNA India.

 

Feature Image Credits: Miranda House.

Oorja Tapan

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News

HRD Ministry releases Ranking Report for Indian Universities: IISc, JNU, HCU in top 5

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The Department of Higher Education, under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development released the first Indian government-backed list of University rankings on 4th April. Surveyed under the National Institutional Ranking Framework, 3,500 institutions have been ranked under a general category, as well as under the categories of Engineering, Management and Pharmaceutical institutes.

Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, occupies the premier position in University rankings, followed by the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai. JNU and the University of Hyderabad were placed third and fourth respectively, with the University of Delhi ranking at number six. Jamia Milia Islamia was ranked 83 out of 100 universities. Incidentally, IISc Bangalore is also the only Indian institute that features in the top 100 Times Higher Education world university rankings, where it stands at rank 99.

University Rankings 2
Source: www.telegraphindia.com

In the Engineering category, the IITs take the cake-all positions in the top 10 have been occupied by them, with IIT Madras and IIT Bombay standing at first and second respectively. The older IITs, established in the 1950s and 60s, rank better than the newer ones. Vellore Institute of Technology, ranked 13, is a private university that has fared well, in the midst of the public universities.

Among the Management institutes, the IIMs take the top 6 positions, with IIM Bangalore standing at the head of the list of B-schools.

Of the Pharmaceutical institutes, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal, takes the first position, with University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chandigarh, and Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, standing at second and third respectively.

According to the National Institutional Ranking Framework booklet, the 22 parameters on the basis of which these universities were ranked include their outreach and inclusivity, research, professional practice and collaborative performance, graduation outcomes, teaching and learning resources and perception of the institute among students, teachers, parents, alumni and the public. Several of these parameters are those used to assess institutions on a global scale, though some country-specific parameters were employed as well, such as those of regional and international diversity, gender equity and inclusion of disadvantaged sections of society. For instance, percentage of students from other states and percentage of women students and faculty also feature as parameters of outreach and inclusivity.

All 122 centrally funded institutions participated in the ranking process. Institutions funded by the Central Government tend to occupy top ranks, as compared to private or state institutions, though private institutions are also gradually rising up the table. Education experts have contested the rankings claiming the use of incorrect methodology such that government institutions are over-represented at the top, according to The Hindu.

Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani hopes to provide students with relevant information about the institutions they wish to join and also establish transparency of data, through these findings.

Featured image credits: www.csa.iisc.ernet.in

Image credits: www.thehindu.com, www.telegraphindia.com

Abhinaya Harigovind

[email protected]

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DUB Speak

#OccupyUGC: Education is not for sale

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As we celebrated the New Year, the #OccupyUGC movement entered its 72nd day of protests. Amidst police brutality and lack of interest shown by both the government and media, we at DU Beat try to explain the origin, progress and current status of the OccupyUGC movement.

How it all began

On October 7th 2015, the University Grants Commission (UGC) held a meeting set a report that stated that the Expert Committee had decided to discontinue the non-NET Fellowship. To realize the magnitude of the decision, one needs to be aware of what UGC, NET, JRF and the non-NET fellowship are.

University Grants Commission of India (UGC) is a statutory organisation set up by the Union government in 1956, with mandate for coordination and maintenance of standards of university education.

Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) is offered by UGC to the eligible and selected candidates through written exams as their stipend for doctoral studies or for their assistance in various projects. UGC offers a limited number of fellowships in all the disciplines – Arts, Humanities, Commerce etc. through its own UGC-National Eligibility Exam, known as NET, and in five natural science disciplines through Joint CSIR-UGC-NET exam held by CSIR (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research)

The UGC Non-National Eligibility Test (UGC Non-NET) Fellowship Scheme was started in 2008. It grants a research fellowship to scholars in central universities, who may have cracked NET but not the JRF or those who haven’t cracked NET but are still eligible to pursue their research. The UGC Non-NET Fellowship grants scholars a stipend of a meager Rs. 8000 as compared to Rs. 25000 for scholars who’ve cracked the JRF exam.

Thus with the decision of slashing the non-NET Fellowship, UGC has decided to stop the monetary support for fellows pursuing doctoral research studies. The stipend through fellowships will only be given to the top 15 per cent of the people who appear for NET. This leaves 35,000 students awaiting fellowship across the country, in the dark.

Protestors making graffiti at ITO Metro Station | Source: thecompanion.in

The protests

Students affected by the decision have been protesting in New Delhi’s ITO Area since October 2015. On 21st October, students from various universities led by JNUSU (Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union) decided to conduct an indefinite gherao of the UGC office at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. The Police and paramilitary forces did not comply, leading to lathicharge. Protestors were picked up early morning on 23rd October, and taken to Bhalswa Dairy Police Station, North Delhi, about 20 kilometres away from the protest site.

It was not just the Police with their water cannons and sound bombs, however, but also Akhil Bhartiya Vidya Parishad (ABVP) who threw stones and bottles on peacefully protesting students on 24th October.

Water cannons being used against the protestors. | Source: iamin.in

On 26th October, an order from MHRD was released which said a review committee will be formed which will have the mandate to introduce ‘economic or other’ criteria to introduce the fellowships. The students however demand the fellowships for all students.Moreover, the review committee has no student or teacher representative.

On November 7th 2015, students from different universities marched from ITO to MHRD office in protest. Following the march, HRD Minister Smriti Irani agreed to meet representatives of students to discuss their demands. However, a firm decision is yet to take place.

 

A larger fight against privatization of education

It is suspected that this removal of educational subsidies has a larger reason, privatization of education. Since 1980s, India has seen a major revolution in the education sector, with as much as 64% of higher education being private.

In 2005 India agreed to World Trade Organization’s General Agreement on Trades and Services (GATS). GATS is a WTO Trade agreement that is designed to limit government authority on trade.

Graffiti outside ITO Metro Station | Source: dailyo.in

India going through GATS would mean foreign countries would be setting up shops in the education sector as for-profit ventures, and as per WTO guidelines, these foreign university setups will have to be given national treatment. It naturally means that our central universities and these foreign university setups would be kept at par, and will receive equal education subsidies, if any. Under GATS, there would be no means of ensuring that only high-quality universities enter the country, nor would there be any means of controlling the cost of education they provide.

Giving education subsidies to foreign universities seems bleak given the country’s education budget, therefore it would mean cutting already-present education subsidies.

The Occupy UGC Movement is thus facing a much larger fight against the privatization of education sector.

 

Kartikeya Bhatotia

[email protected]

 

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Lady Shri Ram College for Women

The Implications of Autonomy for Top DU Colleges

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autonomy

The Union Home Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) is working on a plan to give complete autonomy to some of the country’s prestigious colleges. The move will free the colleges from the administrative control of the Universities they’re currently affiliated to. So here’s how this dramatic step promises to topple the world of the various colleges being spoken of and what the implication of this fancy jargon will be, on us students.

Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR), Sri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) and St Stephen’s College – three of the top ranking colleges of Delhi University are being sought to be brought under the ambit of this drastic step. However in what ensued, was a collective and outright state of condemnation and panic by the faculty and the students alike.

Earlier in the year, the staff association of LSR resolved “to reject any move to delink Lady Shri Ram College from the Delhi University in any manner and in any aspect in part or in whole “. As far as LSR is concerned, clarified Ms. Meenakshi Gopinath, no such application form for autonomy had been filled or no such proposal was lying in the pipeline. This statement came in the wake of similar rumours about granting of autonomous status to these colleges. The statement also went onto say that privatisation of these colleges would compromise on inclusiveness, equity and quality of higher education in India. Calling it as one of the ways for the state to recede from the key sectors of the economy, they were completely opposed to such balkanisation of The University.

The teaching community has mixed reactions to offer on this, as do a lot of DU students. Some of them see it as the last stone to be unturned for saving the fate of thousands of students from the shackles of the Four Year Undergraduate Programme being introduced in the University. The rest of them are grappling with the fear of a possible financial crunch which might lead to a hike and a change in the fee structure in future, making higher education inaccessible to the masses.

Whatever be the case, all we can do is to keep our hopes high and believe that this is not going to be another one of the rushed-and-then-put-under-the-carpet-steps blindly taken by the authorities like The Four Year Programme. While making such decisions, it becomes important to involve the stakeholders- faculty and the students and to uphold the democratic values that we so vehemently preach in the confines of those four walled classrooms.

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