Delhi higher education: After churn, change of guard on the cards

While Delhi University (DU) saw uncertainty over the implementation of the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS), then Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh was issued a show-cause notice with regard to the implementation of the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP).

Singh, who retired in October, was the first VC in the history of the university to have been issued such a notice.

It was also the year when the BJP-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) won a post in Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) central panel, after 14 years. Saurabh Sharma from the ABVP became the joint-secretary, defeating the nearest candidate of the Left-leaning All India Student’s Association (AISA) by a narrow margin of 28 votes.

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The ABVP swept the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) polls a second consecutive time.

The AAP’s student wing, the Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS), failed to win a single seat, despite a high-profile campaign.

St Stephen’s College principal Valson Thampu made headlines all through the year, first by banning a college e-zine for publishing an interview with him without his permission, then for allegedly shielding a faculty member accused of sexual harassment, and finally, by proposing sweeping changes in the college constitution which will give more power to the Church of North India to intervene in administrative matters.

The cancellation of the non-NET fellowship for research scholars, coupled with the central government committing higher education to WTO-GATS, saw the build-up of the Occupy UGC movement led by the JNUSU.

Students were detained and also faced police lathicharge during the sustained protest.

Looking forward

The appointment of a new JNU Vice Chancellor, with incumbent S K Sopory scheduled to retire in January, and a new VC for Delhi University.

Thampu too is scheduled to retire, on February 28, and St Stephen’s College has started scouting for his replacement.

A Governing Body (GB) meeting around the same time will take the final call on passing the controversial draft constitution, which has already been passed by them once.