Delhi University
Delhi University (DU, ISO: Dillī Viśvavidyālaya), formally the University of Delhi, is a collegiate research central university located in Delhi, India. It was founded in 1922 by an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly and is recognized as an Institute of Eminence (IoE) by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The university has 16 faculties and 86 departments distributed across its North and South campuses, and remaining colleges across the region. It has 91 constituent colleges. Delhi University is one of the largest university systems in the world with over 400,000 students on its campuses and affiliated colleges.[5] The Vice President of India serves as the university chancellor. The university is ranked 11th by National Institutional Ranking Framework 2023.
The University of Delhi was established in 1922 was created by act of Central Legislative assembly.[6] Hari Singh Gour served as the university's first Vice-Chancellor from 1922 to 1926.
Only four colleges existed in Delhi at the time, which were affiliated to University of the Punjab at that time:
All of the above colleges were subsequently affiliated to the university. The university initially had two faculties (Arts and Science) and approximately 750 students.
The seat of power in British India had been transferred from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911. The Viceregal Lodge Estate became the residence of the Viceroy of India until October 1933, when it was given to the University of Delhi. Since then, it has housed the office of the vice-chancellor and other offices.[7]
When Sir Maurice Gwyer came to India in 1937 to serve as Chief Justice of British India, he became the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Delhi. During his time, postgraduate teaching courses were introduced and laboratories were established at the university.[8] Members of the faculty included Daulat Singh Kothari in Physics and Panchanan Maheshwari in Botany. Gwyer has been called the "maker of the university". He served as Vice-Chancellor until 1950.[9]
The silver jubilee year of the university in 1947 coincided with India's independence, and the national flag was hoisted in the main building for the first time by Vijayendra Kasturi Ranga Varadaraja Rao. In that year there was no convocation ceremony due to the partition of India. Instead, a special ceremony was held in 1948, attended by then Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, as well as by Lord Mountbatten, Lady Mountbatten, Abul Kalam Azad, Zakir Husain and Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar. Twenty-five years later the golden jubilee celebrations of 1973 were attended by the then Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, Satyajit Ray, Amrita Pritam, and M. S. Subbulakshmi.[10]
Present form[edit]
The university has grown into one of the largest universities in India. There are 16 faculties, 86 academic departments, 91 colleges spread across the city, with 132,435 regular students (114,494 undergraduates and 17,941 postgraduates). There are 261,169 students in non-formal education programmes (258,831 undergraduates and 2,338 postgraduates). DU's chemistry, geology, zoology, sociology, and history departments have been awarded the status of Centres of Advanced Studies. In addition, a number of the university's departments receive grants under the Special Assistance Programme of the University Grants Commission in recognition of their outstanding academic work.[11]
From the year 2022, DU changed its admission pattern from the 12th percentage mark based to CUET[12] (Central Universities Common Entrance Test). Now it will admit students based on their CUET scores. And the 12th class percentage marks will act as a tie-breaker for students securing the same CUET scores.[13]
DU is one of the most sought-after institutions of higher education in India. It also has one of the highest publication counts among Indian universities.[14]
The annual honorary degree ceremony of the university has been conferred upon several people, which includes film actor Amitabh Bachchan, former Chief Minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit, cartoonist R. K. Laxman, chemist C. N. R. Rao[15] and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Gordon Brown.[16]
Organisation and administration[edit]
Governance[edit]
The President of India is the Visitor, the Vice President of India is the Chancellor and the Chief Justice of India is the Pro-Chancellor of the university. The Court, the Executive Council, the Academic Council and the Finance Committee are the administrative authorities of the university.[20]
University rankings
601-700
521–530
85
1001–1200
201–250
201–250
23
13
8
Academics[edit]
Courses[edit]
There are 240 courses available at the university for undergraduate (UG) and post-graduate (PG).[41]
There are a total 201 courses offered by Delhi University like MBBS, B.Tech. etc. Courses are mainly classified under the three faculties of the central university, including arts, commerce and science.[42]
The university offers 70 post-graduate degrees. DU also offers MPhil in about 28 subjects.[43] In addition to these, it offers 90+ Certificate courses and 28 Diplomas. There are 15 Advanced Diplomas offered in various languages. The university offers PhD courses, which may be awarded by any faculty of the university under ordinance VI-B.[44] But, speciality and super speciality medical degrees like DM, DCh etc., could only be awarded by the faculty of medical sciences.[45] Due to lack of surety in quality of legal education, The Bar Council of India has issued a notification asking Delhi University (DU) to shut down law courses offered in evening shift at its colleges.[46]
Sports[edit]
The Delhi University Stadium is a rugby sevens stadium, situated within the North Campus. Spread over 10,000 square metres (110,000 sq ft), the stadium has a seating capacity of 2,500 permanent and 7,500 temporary seats. Construction began in 2008 and the stadium was inaugurated in July 2010, ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.[56] It also includes a training area for netball, boxing, women's wrestling and athletics.[57][58]
After the games the stadium was handed over to the university by Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, there after in 2011, the university initiated an upgrade plan, to create a multi-purpose arena with both outdoor and indoor facilities.[59] The university opened access to these facilities in late 2011.[60]
