Delhi Commission for Women (DCW)  has slammed Delhi University colleges for charging high hostel fee and imposing discriminatory rules for girls. DCW has now asked HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar to intervene in the matter.
The DCW chief, Swati Maliwal, in a letter to the minister claimed “severe apathy” exists in the UGC and the response from its officiating chairman was “extremely discouraging”.
The DCW said it has received a representation from a student group, following which it had sent communications to various universities, colleges and institutes in Delhi to assess reasons for “discriminatory hostel rules and high fee for girls”.
“Over five institutions have informed the commission that due to various issues pending with University Grants Commission (UGC) pertaining to the release of due grant, they are unable to construct hostels for girls or ensure non-discriminatory fee,” she said in her letter.
Maliwal claimed that several communications had been sent to the UGC seeking intervention on the requests of different institutions since February 2017.
“However, no response whatsoever, till date, has been received,” she said.
“However, to my utter shock and dismay, the officiating chairman of the UGC was not even aware of over a dozen communications sent by the commission to the UGC, including those marked directly to Chauhan,” she said.
“He also appeared to be unaware of the recent issue of Hindu College hiking fee for its girls’ hostel due to non-receipt of funds from the UGC.”
“This issue has not only been raised by the commission with the UGC but was also widely reported by the media. The inaction of the UGC in the matter of discriminatory fee in girls’ hostel is disgraceful,” she said.
Maliwal has also sought an appointment from Javadekar to discuss the issues.
