DU-affiliated College of Art to be merged with Ambedkar University

Earlier in 2009, the Delhi College of Engineering was similarly de-affliated from DU and made a separate university — called the Delhi Technological University.

B S Chauhan, officiating principal of the College of Art, remained non-committal when asked if he agreed with the decision. However, he said the college was facing several issues. (File)

The Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday took the decision to merge the College of Art — currently affiliated to Delhi University (DU) — with Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD). The college is run by the Delhi government.

“The Delhi Cabinet has…approved the merger of Delhi University’s College of Arts, functioning under the Directorate of Training and Technical Education, and Delhi Institute of Heritage Research and Management (DIHRM) affiliated with GGSIP University, functioning under the Directorate of Higher Education. Together they will now be part of Dr B R Ambedkar University,” the Delhi government said.

Earlier in 2009, the Delhi College of Engineering was similarly de-affliated from DU and made a separate university — called the Delhi Technological University. Similarly in 2019, the Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology was changed to Netaji Subhas University of Technology under the Delhi government.

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While the Delhi government announced the decision on Tuesday, DU Registrar Vikas Gupta said any decision on College of Art’s de-affiliation with DU was yet to be taken. “They had written to us about 8-10 days ago saying they would look to de-affiliate from DU. We said we would place it before our Academic Council (AC) since it’s a major policy decision. We can’t take any decision without the approval of statutory bodies,” he said.

A Delhi government official said, “The Delhi College of Art is fully funded by the Delhi government. Therefore, the decision to bring it under Dr B R Ambedkar university does not need any form of clearance from DU.”

Four AC members — Kapila Mallah, Sudhanshu Kumar, Alok Ranjan Pandey, Chander Mohan Negi — and two Executive Council members — Seema Das and J L Gupta — have written to the DU vice chancellor opposing the decision. “Such attempt at de-affiliation of DU colleges leading to the dismemberment of the University of Delhi is in contravention to the Acts, statutes and ordinances of DU, which must be stopped at all levels,” they wrote.

B S Chauhan, officiating principal of the College of Art, remained non-committal when asked if he agreed with the decision. However, he said the college was facing several issues.

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“Our intake is decided by AICTE but academic approval comes from DU. But DU doesn’t conduct our admissions or exams. We have received no support from DU even though we are affiliated since 1974. We are not able to recruit permanent faculty; there has been no permanent principal since 2012. There are too many agencies and issues. I just want that whatever happens should be for the benefit of students,” he said.

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