AAP govt orders freeze on funding of 28 DU colleges

New Delhi: The Delhi government on Monday ordered a freeze on funding of 28 Delhi University colleges — that are either fully or partially funded by it — following the varsity’s failure to     appoint governing bodies since months. Delhi University, however, assured the government that the bodies in all 28 colleges will be formed within one month.

“(I) have ordered the finance department to stop funding for all Delhi government funded colleges, as DU is not willing to have governing bodies for the last 10 months,” Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who holds the education and finance portfolios, said in a series of tweets.

Alleging corruption was the intent behind the failure to set up governing bodies, he said: “I can not allow unchecked corruption and irregularities to be sustained on Delhi government funds in the name of education.”

The decision, taken at a meeting between Mr Sisodia and finance department officials on Monday, came after DU failed to act in this regard despite several reminders by the government. Mr Sisodia charged the DU with deliberately stalling the process of formation of governing bodies since last September.

He also noted that the DU executive council disapproved the governing body list sent by the state government twice this month, on July 3 and July 17.

Responding to the government’s move, the university wrote a letter assuring the formation of governing bodies. “We have written to the Delhi government and assured that the governing bodies for all the 28 colleges will be formed in August. The list of panellists (forming the body) has been vetted by the executive council of the university,” dean of colleges Devesh Sinha told a news agency. “Grant will not be stopped,” he said.

The AAP government had earlier asked DU not to conduct faculty appointments till the college governing bodies are formed.