2 weeks ago
Delhi government mulls restructuring of DSEU or demerger of polytechnics
Delhi is a big city in India, and its government looks after schools and colleges.
There is a special university in Delhi that teaches skills people need for jobs, like fixing machines and other practical work.
It is called the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University, or DSEU for short.
Some other colleges were joined together with this university so students could learn even better.
But many students and teachers were not happy.
They said there were problems, like higher fees, missing facilities, and fewer students joining.
The government asked a group of smart people to find out what was wrong.
The group made a report and found that yes, there are some problems.
Now the government is thinking about what to do, and it might change how the university works or un-join the colleges from the university.
The government says a final decision will be made soon.
The Delhi government is evaluating an expert committee report that found problems with the functioning of the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU).
Two options are under consideration: reworking DSEU's structure or demerging the polytechnic institutes merged with the university.
The review follows repeated complaints from students and employees over mismanagement, infrastructure gaps, fee hikes, faculty-related issues and falling enrolment.
GOFTED has alleged legal, administrative and academic irregularities in the merger of 10 government polytechnics with DSEU and demanded a high-level inquiry and demerger.
DSEU began operations in October 2020; 23 World Class Skill Centres, 10 government polytechnics, GB Pant Engineering College and two Delhi Institute of Tool and Engineering institutions were merged with it in 2021.
- Who
- The Delhi government, the expert committee evaluating the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU), and the Gazetted Officers Forum for Technical Education, Delhi (GOFTED), which represents officers, teachers and employees of the DTTE.
- What
- The Delhi government is considering restructuring DSEU or demerging the government polytechnic institutes merged with it, after an expert committee report found problems with the university's functioning.
- Where
- Delhi, India
- When
- The proposal was under evaluation as of August 14; the four-member review committee met on January 30 to deliberate on DSEU's governance and other issues.
- Why
- Because the expert committee report found problems with DSEU's functioning, amid complaints of mismanagement, fee hikes and falling enrolment, and GOFTED's allegations of irregularities in the polytechnic merger.
Merger critics
Delhi government and DSEU
Demerger of polytechnic institutes
Merger critics
GOFTED alleges the merger of 10 government polytechnics with DSEU was marked by legal, administrative and academic irregularities, and says students faced academic instability, curriculum changes, deficiencies in admissions, faculty and laboratory facilities, and higher fees; it demands a high-level inquiry and demerger.
Delhi government and DSEU
The government sees the mergers as part of the restructuring of technical and skill education and is weighing whether to rework DSEU's structure or demerge the polytechnic institutes to take forward technical education properly.
University performance and transparency
Merger critics
Student groups and employees allege mismanagement, infrastructure gaps, fee hikes, faculty-related issues, falling enrolment and declining academic standards, and question whether DSEU retains its original focus on skill education for marginalised students; GOFTED also demands the committee report be made public.
Delhi government and DSEU
Officials say the committee report, still under evaluation, has confirmed 'some problems' with the university's functioning, and that a decision will be taken soon after consulting experts.
Key facts
- University
- Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU)
- Established
- Under the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University Act, 2019; operations began in October 2020
- Committee report
- Found 'some problems' with DSEU's functioning; currently under evaluation
- Options under consideration
- Restructuring DSEU or demerging the merged polytechnic institutes
- Merged institutions
- 23 World Class Skill Centres (Jan 2021), 10 government polytechnics (April 2021), GB Pant Engineering College and two Delhi Institute of Tool and Engineering institutions (May 2021)
- Complaints
- Mismanagement, infrastructure gaps, fee hikes, faculty-related issues and falling enrolment
- GOFTED demand
- High-level inquiry into the merger and demerger of the 10 government polytechnics
- News date
- August 14, PTI report
Quotes
Delhi government official
An unnamed Delhi government official involved in policy review of DSEU
“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.”
theprint.in
Sources
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