The Academic Council (AC) of the Delhi University (DU), the highest academic body of the university responsible for adopting and approving major policy decisions concerning lakhs of students, ironically has no student representative for the last over one decade. This is in total contravention of the DU's statute in which it is clearly stated that the AC should have five elected student representatives in it.
As per the statute 7 (1) (XIII), five students -- a research student, two post-graduate and two under-graduate students -- shall be elected to the AC. The AC is the highest statutory body of the university and is responsible for the maintenance of standards of instructions, education and examination of the university. It has also the right to advice Executive Council (EC) on all academic matters.
There are 26 elected teacher representatives in the AC apart from Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Dean of faculties, Directors, Dean of Colleges, Head of departments and several others. However, there is no student representative. Besides, the council does not have two persons from outside the university, who are supposed to be co-opted by the AC for their special knowledge, said a member of the AC.
A senior AC member Pankaj Garg told The Pioneer that in the absence of student representation in the AC, making of any policy concerning the larger interest of student community is not justifiable at all.
“What good policy decisions concerning students are for if students themselves are denied their legitimate right to have their say in framing these policies,” said Garg.
Lawyer and RTI activist Mohit Kumar Gupta said due to the non-representation of students in statutory bodies, they are forced to protest on roads and fight with their own university administration to get their demands fulfilled.
The Delhi High Court, acting on the petition filed by final year law student Vikas Bhaskar regarding same has remarked, “If there is a mandate to hold elections, why have you not done it? This needs examination after university clears it stand.”
In last meeting of the AC held in June last year, the Vice-Chancellor (VC) has assured that student representatives elections to the AC will be held at the earliest. However, after that no AC meeting has been convened and the matter hangs in limbo.