NEW DELHI: The Delhi government is considering restructuring the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) or demerging the government polytechnic institutes merged with it after an expert committee report found various problems with its functioning.
The government is evaluating an expert committee’s report on the university’s functioning. “The committee report is under evaluation and a decision will be taken soon. The report has found for sure that there are some problems with the functioning of the university,” a source revealed.
Sources privy to the matter said two options were under consideration: reworking the structure of the DSEU or demerging the polytechnic institutes from the university to ensure technical education is taken forward effectively. “The committee report is being evaluated and experts are being contacted,” one of them said.
It may be recalled that sources had said earlier this year that the government was considering a wider round of consultations with stakeholders and experts to review the overall functioning of DSEU. This included the impact of the merger of government polytechnics and skill centres with the university.
They had said that a four-member committee constituted earlier to undertake a comprehensive review of the university, had met on January 30 and deliberated on issues concerning the DSEU’s governance, academic processes, recruitment of teaching & non-teaching staff, human resources, programme design, utilisation of assets and facilities at merged campuses and other administrative matters.
Senior officials and academicians from Delhi Technical University, the Directorate of Training and Technical Education (DTTE) and the University of Delhi had also attended the meeting. The DSEU vice-chancellor was requested to depute the university registrar for the deliberations, according to the notice. The review assumes significance amid repeated complaints from students and employees over alleged mismanagement, infrastructure gaps, fee hikes, faculty-related issues and falling enrolment.
Student groups and employees have also raised concerns over academic standards and whether the university has been able to retain its original focus on providing skill and technical education to students from marginalised sections.
Notably, the proposed restructuring or demerger comes weeks after the Gazetted Officers Forum for Technical Education, Delhi (GOFTED) demanded a high-level inquiry into the merger of 10 government polytechnics with DSEU.
The association, representing gazetted officers, teachers and employees of Department of Training and Technical Education (DTTE), had alleged that the merger was marked by legal, administrative and academic irregularities and sought demerger of the polytechnic institutes.
Inquiry sought
Demerging the polytechnics is another option under consideration
Experts are being consulted before a decision is taken
The panel reviewed governance, academics, staffing and infrastructure
Students and staff have flagged mismanagement and fee hikes
