Delhi University is one of the most prestigious institutions in the country. It is managed through the various councils and committees set up for the welfare its students and teachers.
The Academic Council of the Delhi University is the highest academic body which is responsible for the maintenance of standards of instruction, education, and examination within the University. It takes various decisions on the academic matters of the varsity. The council includes university’s several college principals, the Vice Chancellor, Registrar, Deans, and Director of South Campus and School of Open Learning and also the student members who represent the student body.
‚ÄåBut to our surprise, from the last 10 years, no student member has been appointed to be a part of the academic council. This issue came into light through an RTI received from the university which stated that no student member has been elected/nominated under statute 7(I) (xiii) in the last ten years and even presently, there is no student representative is the member of the Academic Council.
Also, no changes have been made to the council’s statute 7(I) (xiii) which would have withdrawn the membership of the students’ representatives.¬†The rule still exists but is not followed since last ten years.
Rocky Tusheer, president of the Delhi University Students‚Äô Union (DUSU), said that ‚ÄúEver since 2010, we have been trying to put this across to the administration, but nothing seems to have worked so far. We have even apprised the Vice Chancellor of the matter; even then, no students were taken into the Council. Universities are for students and lack of students‚Äô representation in a body that decides the future and academic matters of the students, is very unfortunate“, as told to The Sunday Guardian.
Students’ opinion is necessary because at the end of the day it is the students who have to live with the decisions that are taken in these council meetings.
A “Students Charter” is also being prepared by the DUSU which will include the demand for students representation in both the Academic Council as well as in the Executive Council of the University.
