New Delhi, The Delhi government is considering restructuring the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University or demerging the government polytechnic institutes merged with it after an expert committee report found some problems with its functioning, officials said.
The government is evaluating an expert committee's report on the university's functioning.
"The committee report is under evaluation and a decision will be taken soon. The report has found for sure that there are some problems with the functioning of the university," an official told PTI.
The official said two options were under consideration: reworking the structure of DSEU or demerging the polytechnic institutes from the university to ensure technical education is taken forward effectively.
"The two ways forward are either to rework the structure of the university or at least demerge the polytechnic institutes if we want to take forward technical education properly. The committee report is being evaluated and experts are being contacted," he added.
Earlier this year, officials had said that the government has been considering a wider round of consultations with stakeholders and experts to review the overall functioning of DSEU, including the impact of the merger of government polytechnics and skill centres with the university.
Officials had said that a four-member committee constituted earlier to undertake a comprehensive review of the university, had met on January 30 and deliberated on issues concerning DSEU's governance, academic processes, recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff, human resources, programme design, utilisation of assets and facilities at merged campuses and other administrative matters.
{{/usCountry}}Officials had said that a four-member committee constituted earlier to undertake a comprehensive review of the university, had met on January 30 and deliberated on issues concerning DSEU's governance, academic processes, recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff, human resources, programme design, utilisation of assets and facilities at merged campuses and other administrative matters.
{{/usCountry}}Senior officials and academicians from Delhi Technical University, the Directorate of Training and Technical Education and the University of Delhi had also attended the meeting. The DSEU vice-chancellor was also requested to depute the university registrar for the deliberations, according to the meeting notice.
The review assumes significance amid repeated complaints from students and employees over alleged mismanagement, infrastructure gaps, fee hikes, faculty-related issues and falling enrolment.
Student groups and employees have also raised concerns over academic standards and whether the university has been able to retain its original focus on providing skill and technical education to students from marginalised sections.
The proposed restructuring or demerger also comes weeks after the Gazetted Officers Forum for Technical Education, Delhi demanded a high-level inquiry into the merger of 10 government polytechnics with DSEU.
The association, representing gazetted officers, teachers and employees of Department of Training and Technical Education , had alleged that the merger was marked by legal, administrative and academic irregularities and sought demerger of the polytechnic institutes.
GOFTED had also alleged that students faced academic instability, changes in curriculum, deficiencies in admissions, faculty and laboratory facilities and higher fees following the merger. It had demanded that the government's committee report be made public.
DSEU was established under the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University Act, 2019, with the university beginning operations in October 2020.
As part of the restructuring of technical and skill education, 23 World Class Skill Centres were merged with DSEU in January 2021, followed by 10 government institutes of technology, commonly known as polytechnics, in April that year. GB Pant Engineering College and two Delhi Institute of Tool and Engineering institutions were subsequently merged in May 2021.
According to the university, posts of the merged institutes were also transferred to DSEU, while teaching and technical staff were placed on deemed deputation.
The government-appointed committee's recommendations are expected to guide the next course of action on DSEU and the future of the merged institutions, officials said.
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