Delhi University vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh, who saw massive controversy over the now defunct FYUP, said that in the history of the hallowed varsity any VC, who tried to bring a “significant change” had faced similar opposition. “It is not that I have been exceptionally criticised for trying to propose any reforms or ideas. It has generally been the history in the university. Any VC, who has tried to bring any significant change, has faced similar opposition as well as criticism. This is possibly a major reason behind why things have generally remained stagnant at the university for years in between,” said the outgoing vice-chancellor.
Singh said he had witnessed similar happenings ever since he was an undergraduate student of the university. “When I was a first-year student at St Stephen’s college in 1972, then vice-chancellor Professor Sarup Singh (1971-74) had introduced an administrative reform designed to improve the functioning of colleges...There was such a huge hue and cry and protests including strike by teachers that within one week he had to withdraw the same,” Singh said. He is the only DU VC in the 93-year-old existence of DU to have been issued a show-cause notice by the HRD Ministry.
“Not many people know now, that Ram Kishore (1934-38) had converted the two-year undergraduate programme to a three-year course. It had the approval from the varsity Academic Council (AC) and the Executive Council (EC) which are the statutory bodies. At the last stage, the University Court had turned it down due to major opposition. Imagine even after having all approvals,” he added.
He further mentioned the former VC Maurice Gwyer in 1938, who struggled for three years to convert the university from a two-year UG programme to a three-year programme. “It was after a massive opposition. It is possibly a major reason why no major systemic reforms have taken place in the university since 1938, until the time when my predecessor Deepak Pental (2005-2010) tried to walk down the same lane by introducing the semester system. There was a similar scene then, teachers on strike, matter being taken to court, endless obstacles,” the VC said. “I had to struggle for a year to complete the conversion to a semester mode. The FYUP railway rode on the tracks laid in the form of the semester system. It has never been a cakewalk for any VC, a vociferous but not very large group of teachers have consistently opposed change,” he added.
Singh who faced a lot of opposition is completing his term as the VC of the premier varsity of the country on October 28. “I have never been put down by controversies or criticism. These are opportunities to reflect and to grow. Being patient is what I learnt from my experience here. When you assume an office such as that of a vice-chancellor, you had better be ready for these things,” he said.