New Delhi: The Delhi University Academic Council (DUAC), in a bid to avoid privatization and commercialization of education, after an eighteen-hour meeting, has rejected the proposal of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) to rate the DU affiliated colleges.

Abha D Habib, the AC member said that, "It is a move to dismantle the functioning of the existing system of the University. The proposal of NAAC does not provide a linear structure for all the affiliated colleges. If the move is accepted then there would be a rising disparity among the colleges in the matter of funds. Higher funding will follow only those colleges with an official 'A' grade based on their infrastructure, research, library facilities and results. In addition, students will be passing from colleges with an officially declared 'B' or 'C' grade. In a bid to improve their ratings, many colleges will have to unwillingly tie-up with private sectors to start the add-on courses leading to privatization and commercialization of education."

NAAC has faced the rejection by the AC in the 1990's as well as in the year 2004 and "Yet the Vice-Chancellor continued in his efforts to consent the NAAC proposal," said Dr. Habib adding, "It is a move directed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) as it wants to have more control over the colleges and universities."

The council members instead, gave their consent on establishing an internal assessment system by setting up a quality assurance cell for the university.

The AC also discussed the controversy surrounding St. Stephen's college Principal Mr. Valson Thampu.

Rajeev Kumar Verma, member of AC, said that, "DU has been asked by the Delhi High Court to update it with the information of Thampu's Ph.D degree. We have recommended the VC to state the truth that Ph.D in theology is not acknowledged by the university."

The discussion also focused on the proceedings of a June 5 meeting on semester system and the members asked the VC to open a debate on the popularity and practicability of the same.

The staff councils of 25 colleges rejected the proposal in November 2008, which included names like Miranda House, St. Stephen's, Kirori Mal, Lady Shri Ram and others.

However, after so many disapprovals there came an approval from the council to set up a law campus, comprising of three law centres and a faculty of law at Dhaka in north Delhi.

The proposed 'Law Centre' will be built upon a 12.7-acre sprawl of land. The council also decided to build a separate campus for the evening college of Deshbandhu which will be located on the 7-acre land lying next to the morning college. The new college will be named as Ramanujam College, as suggested by the VC.

Permanent recognition is also decided to be conferred to the Institute of Economic Growth and the department of environmental biology will be renamed as department of environmental studies, offering MSC and MA in environmental studies.

The AC meeting also passed the resolution to confer the title of professor of emeritus for various academicians.