The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has allocated Rs 191 crore in additional funds to help Delhi University meet the increased demand for infrastructure that has emerged after the implementation of the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota in admissions, a University Grants Commission (UGC) letter has revealed. The EWS quota was introduced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government last year and guarantees reservation to economically weaker section individuals from the upper castes.
A UGC letter which was sent to DU on 10 June 2019 states that the MHRD has allocated Rs 143.76 crore to DU under the heads of “capital”, “salary”, and “recurring”. An allocation of Rs 47.24 crore has also been made to affiliated colleges under the “recurring” and “salary” heads.
A copy of the UGC letter, that is in the possession of The Sunday Guardian, reads: “Regarding the implementation of reservation of economically weaker sections in Central Educational Institutions from the academic session 2019-2020, it is to inform you that the Government of India/Ministry of Human Resource Development has allocated an additional amount of Rs 143.76 crore under the object head (OH) 31 (recurring), 35 (capital) and 36 (salary) to your university and Rs 47.24 crore for constituent/affiliated colleges for the implementation of EWS reservation.”
“It is also to inform that the University may assess actual requirement of infrastructure of colleges hereunder based on the additional students’ intake under the EWS, as well as existing infrastructure facilities and allocated funds under OH-35 to the colleges towards EWS category out of the funds provided to the University for providing necessary infrastructure facilities in the constituent/affiliated colleges,” the same letter reads.
As per the contents of the letter, the additional funds released under the capital head are, however, to be sought from the Higher Education Financial Agency (HEFA). This clause has attracted massive criticism for the MHRD.
“It is to inform that the additional funds allocated under the OH-35 have to be sought from HEFA under window-4,” the letter further reads. The HEFA rules clearly state that institutions need to repay 25% (and not 10%) of the Principal of the amount taken from the HEFA under “window 4” provisions.
DU colleges have increased their students’ intake, after the MHRD mandated a 25% quota for students from the EWS category. However, the university is not in a position to implement 25% EWS quota at one go. This year, the university has increased seats by 10%, which means around 6,000 seats have been added in the existing strength of 56,000. Rest of the 15% quota will be implemented from the next academic year. After addition of 6,000 seats, this year, the DU is open for record intake of 62,000 students. Reacting on the fund allocation, A.K. Bhagi, member of the DU’s Executive Council (EC), said: “Though I welcome the allocation of additional funds under EWS reservation for DU and as many as 52 colleges affiliated to it, this allocation is not sufficient even to meet salary needs. Similarly, for infrastructure, much higher funding and allocation is required.”
“The case of each college needs to be examined separately by the UGC itself because OBC expansion positions were also not filled when left to the university. The earlier regime at the university stopped the second tranche positions of OBC expansion from being filled,” Bhagi said in a statement.
Rajesh Jha, another EC member, said: “We have been opposing the very MoU which allowed the MHRD to force HEFA on the universities. The MoU not only curbs the autonomy of the university, but also opens the gate for brazen privatisation by making loans from HEFA mandatory. We even moved a resolution to protect the autonomy and of DU,” Jha said.
According to Jha, the resolution which was struck down states that the DU has been bestowed with the autonomy by an Act of Parliament and its governance is being carried out with the statutory framework as laid down by this Act and evolved in the last 100 years. In this backdrop, the MoU, which is an executive feat of the MHRD, is not required at all by this university. Also, the MoU not only curbs the autonomy of the university, but also opens the gate for brazen privatisation by making loans from the HEFA mandatory. As students’ fees are going to be main source of loan repayment, the consequent expensive higher education will hit the students hard, especially SC, ST, OBC and EWS students, i.e. 60% of the total students. It is a statutory obligation of the university to cater to all sections of the society. This will result in contractualisation, causing massive talent deficit in this sector,” the resolution said.
Besides fund allocation for the implementation of EWS quota, the Centre has also brought in an Ordinance—The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Ordinance, 2019—to harmonise the implementation of reservation in teaching positions in Central educational institutions.
According to the PRS legislative, an NGO, the Ordinance provides for reservation of posts in direct recruitment of teachers (out of the sanctioned strength) in Central educational institutions. For the purpose of such reservation, a Central educational institution will be regarded as one unit. The Ordinance will apply to “Central educational institutions” which include universities set up by Acts of Parliament, institutions deemed to be universities, institutions of national importance, and those receiving aid from the Central government.