NEW DELHI: The chairpersons and members of the governing bodies of all Delhi University colleges funded by the Delhi government on Saturday requested an audit by the Comptroller and Audit General of India (CAG) to unearth the mismanagement of funds and financial irregularities.
They also said that they will pass a resolution in these 12 colleges asking them to follow financial guidelines issued by the Directorate of Higher Education of Delhi government instead of the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines.
“The UGC guidelines for financing expenditure have to be followed by colleges receiving grants from the commission. However, the 12 colleges of Delhi University are 100 per cent funded by the Delhi government. Thus, it is resolved that the ‘Pattern of assistance for the release of Grant-in-Aid to 100 per cent funded colleges affiliated to the University of Delhi’ shall be followed and not the UGC guidelines and norms,” read the resolution.
All governing bodies of the 12 colleges have passed the resolution, claimed the chairpersons and members. Most of the governing body members are appointed by the Delhi government.
The management of these colleges and the AAP government have been at loggerheads for a long time over the allotment and mismanagement of funds. On Friday, the Delhi government has decided to form an enquiry committee to look into financial irregularities in these 12 colleges.
Meanwhile, Delhi University teachers have opposed the resolution saying these 12 colleges may be funded by the Delhi government but are affiliated with DU. The DU colleges follow the rules and guidelines given in the DU Act. Any resolution passed will be approved or implemented only after the approval from the Academic and Executive Council, they said. Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) also decided to continue with their DU shutdown and agitation which was started on Wednesday over non-payment of salaries.
“It’s shocking that these twelve colleges are being forced to adopt in their governing bodies a document called Pattern of Assistance issued by DHE. The provisions of this are designed to redefine association of these 12 Colleges with Delhi University and divest Delhi government of its funding responsibility by coercing them to gradually become self-sufficient and self-sustaining,” said DUTA president Rajib Ray.
DUTA said that the resolution is addressed to a new imagined category of colleges called “100 % funded Delhi government-sponsored college affiliated to University of Delhi.”
“These colleges have always been referred to as 100% funded Delhi government maintained colleges of DU. These are constituent colleges of DU. The change in the manner of referencing strengthens the apprehension that the government—tasked with maintaining the educational institutions is now redefining itself as the sponsor of edu-business units - to find ways of disaffiliating them from DU,” said Ray.
“We demand that the Delhi government withdraw these new guidelines,” DUTA said. It also said that grants released under the fourth instalment are insufficient, and, in most colleges, will meet fund requirements for payment of salaries only up to January.