NEW DELHI: The Delhi University’s move to spend Rs 5 lakh on a magic show as part of its centenary celebration has run into rough weather with a section of teachers questioning the rationale behind organising such a programme amid a “severe crunch of funds”.
According to a poster of the event, famous Jadugar Samrat Shankar will present the show on May 3 at the multipurpose sports complex at the varsity. It also said that the programme is being organised by the University of Delhi’s Culture Council. The entry is strictly through registration, reads the poster.
A varsity official said the show is being organised to develop scientific temperament among the students.
Opposing the move, a section of teachers alleged that the magic show was a “sheer wastage of public money” and pointed out that various R&D grants and innovation projects have been discontinued due to paucity of funds.
“One should not forget that the DU is not Hogwarts. When the official committee itself has acknowledged severe crunch of funds for library, laboratory, infrastructure development and research, spending public money on magic shows is sheer wastage,” Rajesh Jha, a former Executive Council member of DU, rued.
Jha, who teaches at the varsity’s Rajdhani College, noted that DU should be a centre to promote excellence in research to disseminate scientific temper.
“The R&D grant and innovation projects have been discontinued. The development fund collected from students was increased by 150%. In such a scenario, organising a magic show is putting unnecessary pressure on the finance of the university,” he emphasised. The magic show also comes in the backdrop of alleged non-payment of pensions and salaries to pensioners and ad hoc teachers of several colleges under the varsity. Meanwhile, the DU defended the step and said the amount was not big as “singers usually charge Rs 40 lakh to 60 lakh for a single performance”.