Delhi University to shift law faculty campus

NEW DELHI: In the wake of criticism by the Bar Council of India (BCI) over poor infrastructure, Delhi University has decided to shift its law faculty out of its 90- year-old campus, but the decision has drawn flak from students who are unhappy over the size of the new facility.

"The three law centres, namely Campus Law Centre, Law Centre-I and Law Centre-II, will operate from a common building from the upcoming session adjacent to the Central Reference Library in North Campus," DU said in a letter to the dean of the law faculty.

The said faculty was in news last September when BCI, the apex regulatory body for legal education and the legal profession in India, chose to derecognise DU's law course after the varsity failed to seek timely extension of the affiliation of its three centres.

Delhi High Court had also directed that the varsity ensure proper infrastructure in keeping with BCI norms. In its reply to the court, DU had proposed the shift to a new building, which it claimed "had adequate space" for the faculty to be run properly.

However, DU students are unhappy over the shift as they feel that the proposed building does not have inadequate space.

"Presently, 7,500 students are enrolled in the three centres. But the proposed campus will be spread over 1.5 acres and be able to accommodate only 1,300 students. Facilities like library and canteen are also likely to be affected.

"We demand that either the campus not be shifted to the proposed building or a bigger space be allocated for it," they said in a memorandum to the Vice Chancellor and Dean.

Ashwini Kumar Bansal, the Dean of Law faculty, however, clarified, "Such decisions are taken at the top level. In my capacity, I have to uphold the policies of the varsity and, hence, I will comply with the decision."

Meanwhile, a seven-member team from BCI which had inspected the campus in December of last year is yet to submit a report on it to Delhi High Court.

Among the alumni of DU law faculty are eminent figures like Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, former HRD minister Kapil Sibal, Supreme Court Judge Rohinton Nariman, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi.