Hindu College students, faculty march to DU VC office over campus issues - The Tribune

Hindu College students and faculty members on Thursday marched to the University of Delhi (DU) Vice-Chancellor’s office to protest alleged irregularities in Sports and ECA admissions, administrative functioning and the growing presence of private entities on the campus. They submitted a memorandum seeking an independent inquiry and corrective action.

The march began at Hindu College and culminated at the VC’s office, where members of the Hindu College Staff Association submitted the memorandum. It listed concerns over admissions, financial and procurement practices, appointments, faculty rights and the functioning of the Staff Council.

The association also flagged alleged non-compliance with CAG observations and questioned the use of college resources for private commercial activities. It sought greater transparency in the college’s functioning, restoration of the Staff Council’s statutory role and consultation with faculty and students before major decisions were taken.

The memorandum also sought a temporary takeover of the college by DU and the removal of the Governing Body chairman and Principal to facilitate an impartial inquiry into the issues raised.

For students, the immediate trigger for the protest was the issuance of show-cause notices to two professors after the Staff Association passed a resolution raising concerns over alleged irregularities.

Shivansh Shukla, an alumni, said, “Hindu College administration is on a spree of corruption. In the name of taking donations from private entities, they gave tremendous campus presence and power to these entities. This year, the administration indulged in a scandal regarding ECA and sports quota admissions. When the Staff Association passed a resolution against this corruption, show-cause notices were slapped on two of our professors. Even protesting students are being intimidated by the administration by a variety of means. The show-cause notices became the trigger point of the protest because students and faculty will not bow down in the face of harassment.”

The protesters also raised concerns over the growing corporate presence and branding on the campus, while stressing that they were not opposed to development.

A student said, “Students are not opposed to development, but we are concerned about the increasing corporate presence and branding within a public DU college. When facilities across the campus are repeatedly named after private donors and companies, we believe the administration owes students an explanation about the nature and extent of these partnerships.”

Another student called for dialogue with the administration, saying, “Our demand is simple: transparency, accountability and dialogue. Instead of attempting to remove students raising these concerns, the administration should sit with us, hear our grievances and respond to questions regarding alleged irregularities, corporate access to the college and the prolonged tenure of senior administrative officials.”

The memorandum brought together the concerns of students and faculty over admissions, governance and the role of private entities in the college’s functioning. The protesters sought DU’s intervention on the issues raised.

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