Dyal Singh College name change row divides the campus

Amid a raging debate over the name change of Delhi University's Dyal Singh College (Evening) to 'Vande Mataram College', after it starts functioning in the day shift, most students seemed to have no objection to the new name.

A section of teachers and students in the morning shift, however, along with members of Left-backed All India Students' Association (AISA) and Congress-backed National Students' Union of India (NSUI), held a protest over the issue on Monday.

"The name change is a disgrace to the legacy of Punjab's first freedom fighter, Sardar Dyal Singh Manjithia, after whom the college is named," said NSUI Delhi president Akshay Lakra.

The college's Governing Body (GB) on Saturday passed a resolution to change its name and convert it into a day college. The decision triggered a controversy, with a certain section of teachers and students calling it a "political move" and demanding a separate building, instead of bifurcation of the same campus.

Speaking to DNA, evening college principal Pawan Sharma said a handful of teachers were trying to provoke students to hold unnecessary protests. "Everything is alright at the college. The classes for this semester were concluded on November 15. These politically motivated protests are not hampering any academic activity," he said.

Most students, however, said they had no objection to the 'new name'. "We don't mind the name change, if we get better opportunities. Major changes in infrastructure and facilities will be required, once the evening college starts working as a day college. The authorities should focus on those," said Shreya Shankar, a second-year student.

Others hoped that the new courses, promised by the authorities, will open doors of employment opportunity for them. "We are hoping that with these new courses and the change in the college shift, more placement agencies would approach us. Generally, no good employers come to an evening college," said Nitin Sharma, a second-year B.Com student.