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The upgradation of DCE into DTU:
As you all are aware that the Government of Delhi has taken a historic decision to upgrade Delhi College of Engineering, DCE, into a technological university with the name “Delhi Technological University”, DTU to enable DCE to have full autonomy in its academic and administrative affairs and to empower DCE to excel in Technical Education, Research, Innovations, New Product Development and Extension Services. The Bill to this effect has been passed by the Delhi Vidhan Sabha and the Bill has become the Act with the assent of the Hon’ble Lt. Governor, namely the Delhi Act 6 of 2009.
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The decision is Historic:
The decision is historic as DCE is one of the pioneering institution in the field of technical education in India. Other similar institutions of its stature, namely, Thompson College of Engineering, Bengal Engineering College, Gindy College of Engineering and Punjab Engineering College have all become Universities. Thompson College became Roorkee University (State University of UP) in 1947 which has lately become IIT Roorkee. The Bengal Engineering College became Bengal Engineering and Science University, Gindy College became Anna University (State Technological University of TN) and Punjab Engineering College has become a deemed University.
The Delhi College of Engineering, the then Delhi Polytechnic which was to become Engineering College Delhi and was to shift to the present IIT Delhi site, missed the opportunity in 1959 as it would have become IIT Delhi then. The historic decision to upgrade DCE into DTU, is to fulfil this long standing elevation of this premier institution. We should celebrate this upgradation as it is in the interest of all of us in the teaching faculty, staff and undoubtedly in the interest of our students whom we aspire to serve.
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Lack of Academic and Administrative Autonomy Constrained Growth of DCE:
It is a matter of fact that the course curriculum for its UG and PG programs of FOT of DU have not been upgraded for almost 20 years or more. It is also a fact that we have not been able to expand our educational facilities as much as was expected after we shifted to our new campus, spread over 164 acres of land. Many of our programs including the Master’s Program in VLSI Design, M. Tech in Microwave and Optical Communication and others despite having AICTE approval could not start due to inordinate delays in approval from DU.
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Autonomy is for Growth with Quality:
The administrative and academic autonomy granted to DCE in the form of its upgradation to DTU through the Delhi Act 6 of 2009 provides opportunities to utilise this autonomy to provide to our students not only updated curriculum but a curriculum at par with the very best technical universities in the world. The academic autonomy also provides us opportunities to expand our educational and research facilities in areas of high relevance to our economy and in the emerging areas of science and engineering. Further, the administrative autonomy enshrined in the structure of the DTU shall enable us to recruit well-qualified quality faculty for our University and this way we shall be able to provide to our student world quality teachers. We shall also be able to qualitatively increase our quantum of R&D and consultancy services as we shall have well-qualified faculty in sufficient numbers in our University and work culture imbibing best practices of education and research from renowned institutions and universities like IITs, and IISc.
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Benefits to Students:
The student community is bound to gain from its renewed thrust from “Growth with Quality”, which will be the hallmark of the Delhi Technological University.
An institution exists for its students. As such the upgradation will do a lot of good to the students community of this prestigious institution who joins us every year with high expectations to acquire quality education and skill sets to shape them as world class professionals.DTU shall meet these high expectations of the student community with utmost commitment and devotion.
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Interest of existing faculty and staff well protected:
As far as the interest of the existing faculty and staff are concerned the Act of DTU protects the interest of everyone who is currently employed in DCE.
The Clause 4(d) of the DTU Act provides: “every person employed by the Delhi College of Engineering immediately before such commencement shall hold his office or service in the University by the same tenure, at the same remuneration and upon the same terms and conditions and with the same rights and privileges as to pension, leave, gratuity, provident fund, and other matters as he would have held the same if this Act had not been passed, and shall continue to do so unless and until his employment is terminated or he has opted for the University’s terms and conditions of employment;”
As such the existing teachers, technical staff and other staff are put to no disadvantage, whatsoever, with the enactment of the Act of DTU.
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Existing students to get DU degrees:
As far as the existing students of DCE enrolled with DU are concerned, the clause 4(e) of the DTU Act provides “Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, existing students of the Delhi College of Engineering who joined classes before the establishment of the University under section 3 of this Act, shall continue to pursue their academic courses and programmes of study under the enrolment and affiliation of the University of Delhi, Delhi, which shall conduct examinations to them and award degrees to them upon successful completion of the courses and programmes of study they are pursuing thereat presently.”
As such the existing students shall continue to be governed by ordinances of DU and shall receive the degrees from DU on completion of their studies in as much as they would have if DTU Act would not have come into effect.
The interest of the existing student community is also thus well protected in the Act of DTU.
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Student fees:
As far as the rumours being spread that the fees in DTU will go to high proportions is a rumour being spread by those who want DCE to continue to suffer with outdated syllabus of DU. There is no truth in statement like “heavy financial burden on student can be expected” as has been voiced by DCETA. The fee structure for DTU will be decided by the University in line with fee structure prevailing in other professional Universities in the city including GGSIPU, Delhi Pharmaceutical University, IIT Delhi and other Central Universities.
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DCE Alumni Jubilant on DCE upgradation:
DCETA has made a statement that “the alumni of DCE would get emotionally uncomfortable with the down-gradation of their alma-mater”. Statement like this is totally unfounded and highly irresponsible. Firstly, it is an upgradation of DCE into technical University and not a down-gradation, by any means.
Let it also not be mistaken that the alumni worldwide are extremely happy with the upgradation of DCE into DTU as can be seen from the e-mails received from our distinguished alumni some of them reproduced below:
Harsh Arora, Secretary DCE Alumni Association of North America (DAANA) in his mail conveys his “deepest thanks to the Chief Minister of Delhi for taking the historic decision to grant the status of a Technological University to DCE. This is the greatest news for the DCEites in North America and around the globe.” The mail from Arora also says that all this could be possible because of the Chief Minister who understands the value and worth of academic and administrative autonomy to an institution of great repute such as the DCE.
Another mail from Raj Soin, the distinguished alumnus of 1969 Mechanical, one of the most successful techno-entrepreneur in Ohio, Chairman and CEO Soin International reads “DCE stands out among colleges and universities offering engineering curricula and is respected and recognized all over the world. It has gained reputation not only that it has produced scholars and entrepreneurs but excellent engineers, entrepreneurs and innovators. Its product (the graduates) have brought glory to it by being among Commonwealth Scholars, Nuclear Engineers (among the first ones in the 50's who were responsible for the commissioning of the very first heavy water plant in India and fusion research and the start up of the nuclear power plants), members of the railway board, distinguished academicians and inventors). We feel that DCE deserves the status of a university which will allow administration to have independence in hiring world class faculty and forge cooperative relationships in research, student and faculty exchange with universities around the world.” He congratulated Smt. Dikshit for the foresight and the interest her Government has taken in upgrading DCE into a Technological University.
Another mail from Prof. Bhuvnesh Goswami, the distinguished alumnus of 1959, currently distinguished Alumni Professor of Textile Engineering at Clemson University in US reads “there are great opportunities for DTU for one being in the Capital and another being independent in forging relationships with universities and institutes around the world.” In his mail Prof. K.L. Chopra, former Director IIT Kharagpur and distinguished former Professor and Dean of IIT Delhi and President of Society for Scientific Values says “the Chief Minister of Delhi will be remembered for generations for this foresight step to get DCE out of clutches of Delhi University (DU). The Delhi University never upgraded its curriculum, for the last 25 years, of its engineering courses. Prof. Chopra sincerely hoped that the new governance and management system of the University based on autonomy and accountability will help DCE reach much greater heights in the academic sphere as also in serving knowledge economy of the country.”
In fact, the student community is rather surprised that some of the teachers of DCE who are currently heading the DCETA are opposed to the upgradation of DCE. They fail to understand the reason for unhappiness of some of the teachers other than to see the desire to make DCE students suffer with the syllabi which is not revised for decades and with the acute shortage of faculty with which the current DCE student community is burdened with. Mail from a brilliant student of 3rd year reads, “Its indeed shocking to see our teachers organizing Dharnas and Protest against this Historic decision. I don’t understand why they do not want to see DCE being transformed to a level of World Class University. But let me assure you one thing sir, The University is for the students an all the students back you in your endeavour. Your efforts will go a long way in making our futures bright.”
Well the upgradation of DCE into DTU is very well received throughout the country and even abroad. DCE as DTU stands committed to foster technical education and research excellence backed by a quality conscious work culture devoted to serve the talented student community, the industry and the society. It is a historic moment in the history of this great institution.
I appeal to all members of the Teaching Faculty, Technical and Supporting Staff and Members of the Administrative Staff of DCE to celebrate the upgradation of DCE into DTU.
