While the University Grants Commission (UGC) allured principals of Delhi University Colleges to make up their minds to apply for the status of the Autonomous College at the "Orientation Programme" organised by it, the teaching community under the aegis of left-led Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) protested in disdain outside the venue.
The principals said that among the 'tempting allurements' shown to them by the financial regulator -UGC, is that after getting autonomous status, colleges would be free to make appointments, devise admission policy, examination policy, syllabus , fees and courses on their own. It has also been told to the principals that after getting autonomy name of college would also be mentioned on degrees apart from that of affiliated university.
The Principals of some reputed DU colleges who attended the programme said on condition of anonymity that they were told in the interactive session that even after getting autonomy they would continue getting the grants from the financial regulator as usual.
"That simply means there would be no grant cut for the colleges," said a Principal. However, contrary to it apprehensions are rife among teaching community that in the coming days this autonomy will eventually lead to collapse of public funded structure of higher education making it out of bounds for poor and marginalized section of students.
Even, BJP's backed teacher wing National Democratic Teachers' Front (NDTF) expressed its concern over the matter. "Such type of autonomy will eventually lead to increase in fee and will have an adverse effect on future of certain courses which will ultimately lag behind the professional courses. If colleges have to generate the funds on their own it will certainly have an effect on the fee structure," said AK Bhagi, NDTF President.
A very senior faculty at DU appreciated the NDTF's stand saying that its business as usual for the left and congress aligned teachers to protest against the policies of BJP government but it takes a lot of courage to speak against the 'regressive' policies of government when you are affiliated to it in one way or other.