College of Art begins admission as part of Ambedkar University, DU teachers seek VC's intervention

After the College of Art (CoA) began its admission process as a part of the Ambedkar University, 11 teachers from Delhi University's Academics for Action and Development on Tuesday, May 17, wrote to Delhi University's Vice-Chancellor seeking his intervention.

The 11 teachers included the members of the varsity's Executive Council (EC) and Academic Council (AC). In the letter, they wrote that such an "unfortunate action" is in contravention of the Acts and Statutes of the Delhi University (DU), as stated in a report by PTI.

There has been a tussle going on with regards to the affiliation of CoA, which offers master's and bachelor's courses in Arts, between Delhi University and the Government of Delhi.

It was in March last year that the Government of Delhi announced that CoA, since it was facing various problems, will be affiliated with Ambedkar University, which is a university funded by the Delhi government.

It is due to this affiliation tussle that the last academic session's admission couldn't be conducted.

Alok Pandey, a member of DU's Academic Council, said that recently, Ambedkar University conducted a meeting during which it was announced that CoA admissions will begin as part of the AUD.

Via the letter, the 11 teachers noted that AUD's action violates the decision of the Executive Council which has duly rejected the de-affiliation of the College of Arts from the Delhi University.

"It should be noted here that the Lt Governor has ruled that any such step towards merger is subject to 'the de-affiliation of College of Arts from Delhi University," the letter mentioned.

DU's Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh shared that DU has asked CoA to start admissions as a part of the Delhi University.

"I am not aware of it (CoA starting admission under AUD). But we have asked the College of Arts to conduct it as a part of Delhi University. We are waiting," he said.

Just earlier this month, the Delhi University Teachers' Association claimed that those students who were seeking admission to the College of Art via the varsity's National Testing Agency (NTA) portal were unable to register as it wasn't showing up in the list of colleges.

In April, DU had asked CoA to start the admission process and had informed the college that it will not be de-affiliated from the varsity.

The office of the Lieutenant governor had earlier given an in-principle approval to the merger of the College of Art with the state-run Ambedkar University subject to its de-affiliation from DU.

However, the Executive Council of the university, which is its highest decision-making body, refused to de-affiliate the college.