Swami Shraddhanand and Hansraj College, colleges under Delhi University (DU) were found offering IAS coaching and the varsity officials have informed that since these are "purely government-funded academic institutions" they cannot do so.
It is in association with Beacon Institute, a private institution, that Hansraj College is providing IAS coaching since last year. When it comes to Shraddhanand College, it was only recently that the college issued a notification in this regard. This information was passed on by DU's Academic Council member Dr Alok Pandey, as stated in a report by news agency PTI.
As colleges are not allowed to do so, an inquiry will be conducted, shared DU's Dean of Colleges, Balaram Pani.
As per the notification which was out on the website of Hansraj College, depending on the Class XII percentage, the fee amount will vary. Rs 75,000 is the minimum fee for a three-year coaching programme while the maximum is Rs 1,50,000, it stated.
"The course fees payment mode is Demand Draft/NEFT/Cheque. These instruments should be drawn in favour of 'Principal, Hansraj College'" the notification read.
Admissions to these IAS classes conducted at Hansraj College are open to all Delhi University students, it said.
Yogesh Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Delhi University, shared that he had no idea that these colleges were providing coaching of this nature.
While Hansraj College's Principal Rama Sharma was non-responsive to PTI's calls, Shraddhanand College's Principal Praveen Garg shared that they intend to begin coaching in the coming months and the decision to begin such a programme was taken "independently".
As per their notification, Rs 1,50,000 is the fee for three years and college students can avail 25 per cent scholarships.
"The institute will first provide introductory classes to the students in June and then we will start student enrollment for coaching. The decision was taken independently and the university was not informed about it," he said.
"We have decided to allot the seminar room to the institute for weekends to conduct classes. Maximum 80 students will be allowed to enroll in the class," added Garg.
Dean of Colleges, Balaram Pani informed about the enquiry that will be conducted against them.
"Colleges are not allowed to do so. They are an educational institution. They cannot start giving coaching to students. I will call an enquiry into it. They are purely academic institutes for academic purposes. They cannot only give coaching to those who pay and leave other students behind," he said.
These coaching notifications have drawn sharp reactions from the teaching community with Alok Panday, who is also a professor at Ramanujan College, saying if colleges want to give coaching they should charge a nominal fee.
"These colleges are charging lakhs from the students for coaching, We are raising the matter and will ensure such activities are stopped, If they want to give coaching, they should charge a nominal fee," he said.
