Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi turns down the autonomous status

Ministry of Human Resource Department (MHRD) and University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi has plan to make Lady Shri Ram (LSR) College to autonomous college.

The teachers of LSR college have written a letter to UGC chairperson, that they dont want to make the college autonomous. Currently LSR College is affiliated to University of Delhi.

In a letter they stated, "We express our downright opposition to the idea of LSR becoming autonomous. Our stance is a carefully considered one. It is based on our study of autonomous institutions formed in the last 20 years, the UGC papers on autonomy and discussions with our colleagues."

The teachers believe that academic autonomy is a way of profiteering by market forces in the arena of higher education and a compromise with principles of equity, inclusiveness and quality.

According to the LSR college teachers, the matter of autonomy of DU colleges was discussed in the UGC meeting on 31 July 2013, but was not reflected in the minutes of the meeting.

In a press statement, the teachers said the principal of the college had reassured in a staff council meeting on September 17, 2013 that the college had not applied for autonomy.