The crisis in Delhi University over continuing the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme deepened today after reports of the resignation of Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh which remained unconfirmed.
In the midst of a battle with the University Grants Commission, which had asked the university to roll-back the four-year course and revert to three-year structure, DU's media coordinator Malay Neerav sent an SMS to mediapersons in the afternoon that said "VC has resigned".
When contacted, Malay said "I have been given only this much to reveal. I do not have any more details." But he remained inaccessible after reports emerged that the VC has not resigned indeed.
When news of resignation spread, celebrations broke out in the university campus with students and teachers opposed to the FYUP dancing to beat of drums and distributing sweets among themselves.
The HRD Ministry, whose senior officials maintained that no resignation has been received by them, went into discussion with UGC officials to work out a solution for the impasse following the Commission's ultimatum to the DU to wind up the four-year course.
The deadline expired yesterday but the DU failed to send its compliance report to the UGC on restoring the three-year course. Yesterday, the Principals' Association of the DU decided to defer the admission process that was to start today covering over 2.70 lakh applicants clamouring for over 54,000 seats in 64 colleges.
Meanwhile, the supporters of the besieged Vice Chancellor met him and claimed that he has not resigned.
Madhu Kishwar, journalist-activist and supporter of the VC, claimed after a meeting with him that he has authorised her to tell the media that he has not resigned.
Pro VC Sudhish Pachauri, who was also against the VC quitting the post, said he has not resigned, a stand that was also echoed by the VC's lawyer.
The lawyer said they would challenge the UGC's directive in the court because it does not have the power to "control" a University.
