The highest statutory body of Delhi University (DU), the Executive Council (EC), passed a resolution declaring that the university should not permit the College of Art (CoA) to de-affiliate and should challenge the order of the High Court regarding admission to the college as part of the Ambedkar University (AUD), an official informed.

Ambedkar University has already started the admission process for the courses that are offered by the College of Art as a part of the university, as stated in a report by PTI.

The resolution was passed by the EC of DU during a meeting on Monday, May 30.

On May 17, the High Court had asked Ambedkar University to conduct admission to CoA as part of the varsity and had given two weeks to DU for filing an appeal, an EC member informed.

"The EC passed a resolution that CoA is a part of the DU. EC resolved that it will fight the matter in court," the member said.

A senior official from DU said that it was the decision of the EC to protect the interests of the CoA.

"The University should challenge the December 17 decision of the Delhi High Court. The university should protect the interest of the CoA," the official said.

"CoA should not be de-affiliated. It is another prestigious college of Delhi University. It shouldn't be let go. Also, (it was decided to) approach the court that admission should be under the aegis of Delhi University," he added.

It was in April that DU asked CoA to commence its admission process and had also informed the institute that it will not be de-affiliated from the university.

The Office of the Delhi Lieutenant Governor had earlier given in-principle approval to the merger of the College of Art with the Ambedkar University, subject to its de-affiliation from the DU.

However, the Executive Council of the Delhi University, its highest decision-making body, refused to de-affiliate the college.

In March last year, the Delhi government announced that the College of Art would be affiliated with the Ambedkar University, as the college was facing various problems.