DU colleges' funding: DUTA rages against govt, Sisodia hits back

new delhi: The three-day strike called by the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) which started on Wednesday has egged the state government, which is now in the middle of a war of words with the association over funding to 12 colleges that are fully financially supported by the Delhi government. After a series of allegations, Education Minister Manish Sisodia in a statement issued on Thursday said that some of the named colleges of Delhi University are depositing their funds in FDs and simultaneously demanding financial support from the Delhi government.

"According to the rules regarding pattern of assistance, these colleges need to meet all their expenses from the funds they get from various other sources and only after that, if there is any shortage, they will be compensated by the Delhi government," he said. The Delhi government upon receiving complaints of non-payment of salaries of teachers decided to audit six of the 12 colleges in the first week of September. "When asked for the accounts for sources of income from these colleges, they denied to present those accounts," Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia said.

"If these colleges do not disclose how they have spent their money, on what basis can the Delhi government release funds?" he asked.

Meanwhile, president of DUTA, Rajib Ray and secretary Rajinder Singh, in a joint statement, said that the statements made by the Education Minister in the press conference held by him on the 12 DU Colleges were shocking.

"Linking students' fees to salaries of employees is against the public funded nature of DU and its colleges. This is an outright attempt to use the reputation of DU Colleges to turn them into teaching shops. The DUTA has always defended public funded education and will resist all such designs," the statement read, calling for a press conference on the issue scheduled for today (Friday).

Sisodia in his statement said that the colleges have been complaining of lack of funds but at the same time the money in their FDs has been consistently increasing. "This money is not provided by the Delhi government to deposit in the FD. Some colleges have FDs that have up to Rs 15 to 30 crores,"

he said.