DELHI THROUGH THE AGES Essays in Urban History, Culture and Society EDITED BY R.E. FRYKENBERG ae DELHI OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS BOMBAY CALCUTTA MADRAS 1986 ‘Scanned with CamScannerTHE FOUNDATION AND EARLY HISTORY OF DELHI UNIVERSITY APARNA BASU, ‘The idea of a University at Delhi was first proposed around 1911-12, when it was decided to transfer the capital of India from Calcutta to Delhi. But it took a decade for the idea to materialize. At this time Delhi had two colleges, St Stephen’s (founded by the Cambridge Mission in 1882)’ and Hindu College (which was stared in 1899)? Both the colleges were the result vate effort but received grants- in-aid from the government. The initial proposal hacl been to establish a government college, as Henry Sharp, the Education Secretary,’ felt that educational activity ‘in the capital was likely so increase. At the same time, he held that neither St Stephen’s nor Hindu was a secure institution, particularly the latter, which he described as ‘moribund’. Hence the need for a government college, which might ultimately lead to a small university.* Sir Harcourt Butler, the Education Member of the Governor-General’s Council, agresd-with this pro- posal and wanted about 200 acres to be reserved in the new capital for a university consisting of two colleges, a university building, an oriental research institute and a few schools.’ The Imperial Delhi Committee considered the proposal for allotting a site to the univer- sity in the néw capital. This whole scheme, however, was shelved on * the outbreak of war in 1914, In September 1918, as the First World War was d:awing to a close, Sharp once again revived the scheme of a governrient college.* Sir Shankaran Nair, then the Education Member,’ asled Sir Harcourt Butler, now Lieutenant Governor of U.P.,* if affairs at Aligarh, which was then being roc! yy Pan Islamism, did not furnish an additional reason for starting a government college at Delhi. Should the government make ‘a start at once, or more kisurely?” Butler reiterated his earlier view in favour of such a college,” anda committee consisting of Sharp, the Chief Commissioner of Delhi (Barron), ‘Scanned with CamScannerpet oe 88 Sosees 402 Delbi through the Ages the Chief Engineer (Keeling),"? (Rudra), # was formed to draw up detailed plans for the college. | In the meantime the Report of the Calcutta University Commission, set up under the Chairmanship of Sir Michael Sadler, Vice-Chancellor of Leeds University, was published.'* The Sadler Report. recom- mended that Calcutta University as well as other Indian universities, and the Principal of St“Stephen’s which were affiliating and examining bodies modelled on London | University, should be reorganized, and decentralized. Indian yni- versities should be of a unitary, teaching and residential type. Following this recommendation, the Universities of Panjab and Allahabad commenced to re-shape their constitutions. As the Delhi colleges were affiliated to the Universi jab, the Government of India felt that an independent university should be provided for the students of the capital city. Colleges in Delhi were understandably not enthusiastic about a new government college. The Education Department’s idea was to ainalgamate Hind College with the government college and convert the former into a hostel. Hindu College naturally resented this and wanted a site for itself in the new capital."* So did Ramjas College, which had been ‘ Founded in 1917-8 fourth college, Lady Harding Medical College, had been established in’ 1916, affiliated to Panjab University. St Stephen’s also feared competition from a government college.” Faced with this opposition from the colleges, and in view of the Calcutta University Commission’s Report, the Education Depart- ment abandoned the idea of a government college and instead pleaded for the establishment of a unitary teaching university. Thearguments put forward for this were numerous and quite persuasive. Sir Muharnmad Shafi, the new Education Member,'* urged that it was ‘the clear duty of the Government of India to take early steps to carry out those reforms in the one province which is pre-eminently the direct cohcern of this Government and to expedite the establish- ment of a unitary and teaching University in the Imperial capital.’ He argued that from the educational point of view, Delhi occupied 2 somewhat unique position. For centuries, during. the period of Muslim rule, it had been the intellectual centre of India. It had now been restored to its position as the Imperial capital of the Indian Empire. Between Allahabad and Lahore, there was no government university. Delhi was at least as big a town and a larger educational centre than either Dacca or Lucknow, both of which had already got ‘Scanned with CamScanner (SB rma mses sae, Foundation of Dethi University 403 i : be of imzhense bonlis dhe pespleof is parctiurmees aaah ale ed rh ietelicianeae(at a aces at with the establishment of a unitary university at Delhi, parents residing in neighbouring districts, anxious to give university education to their children, would prefer to send them to Delhi rathe r than tol ahore or Allahabad, ‘The existing educational institu- Gons in Delhi formed ficient nucleus for the establishment of a university, He hield that the establishment of such a university at Delhi would make the task of Panjab and Allahabad for university reforms easier. The affiliation of Delhi colleges to Panjab University complicated the latter’s effore towards reform. Delhi being’a small province, it was an ideal place for carrying out the recommendation of the Calcutta University Commission. The separation of secondary © and intermediate from university education presented considerable difficulties in Bengal and the other Presidencies butno such difficulties existed in Delhi, and the task of the government would be easy. It seemed to the Edication Member that in these circumstances it was the plain duty of the government to set up a unitary, téaching and residential university at Delhi; to separate secondary and intermediate from university education and to institute a Secondary Education Board on the lines recommended by the Calcutta University Com- mission, as models for other provinces of India. He urged the Govern- ment of India to introduce reforms in the one province which was directly under its control and thus ‘give proof of its earnesmess in accomplishing the goal set.up by the most authoritive Education Commission which had ever sat in India.’ Since theCommission had been appointed by the government, it was the latter's duty to show to the country its readiness to discharge the obligation which ‘we owe to ourselves as well as to the Indian peoples in relation to University education.’ The establishment of a university at Delhi would consti-” o the charge made by’ the Registrar of tute a conclusive answer t st Calcutta University of the ‘alleged hostility” of the Government of India to the spread of higher education. Shafi was of the view that, for political reasons-also, any further - delay in establishing a university would be ‘impolicic and might ve camadt to him essential that they should forestall prove dangerous. I i : the non-cooperators who were conte, lating a national university TeDalhi The foundation of a government university was sure xo kill . Shairscheme, It would show that while the non-cooperators merely indulged in vague talk of establishing national universities, the ‘Scanned with CamScanneraoe Delhi throrigh the “Ages government was earnest in its desire to supply Indian educational needs. Morcover, it would meet the criticism that the government while spéiding on the army and defence was starving education.” In December 1919, the Chief Commissioner of Delhi presided over a mecting at which representatives of the Education Department as well as of the three colleges and the Chief Engineer were present. ‘After prolonged discussion, the meeting unanimously resolved thata unitary teaching university should be established in Delhi.” ‘The government scheme regarding Delhi University-consisted of two parts—the provisional and the permanent. The former was that the existing colleges with their hostels would remain in their present quarters in the city. Ramjas would become an Intermediate College, while Stephen’s and Hindu would, as far as possible and desirable, have common classes for graduate teaching and some more professors would be appointed for special tutoring in honours and postgraduate work. The immediate cost would be 75,000 rupees. "The permanent scheme envisaged that the colleges would ultimately. become intermediate colleges; that the college authorities would build hostels or halls on the Raisina site in which students would receive tutorial assistance, and that government would build uni- versity buildings, laboratories, lecture halls, etc:, and pay for the central teaching. The estimated ‘capital cost was around. 34 lakh rupees (recurring), and 2 lakh rupees non-recurring initially, with this rising to 4 lalth rupees. Some 30,000 rupees from fees would be an offset." The main hurdle was lack of funds. Apart from this, the Education Department was afraid of the attitudes of the other departments of the Government of India, of the Panjab University, of the public, of the local colleges, and of the legislature; it was also: worried over the lack of local patriotism and interest in education in‘ Delhi. Despite this the Education Member and his officials were of the view that the government should go ahead with the university scheme since Delhi did not possess single government colleges moreover, a unitary, teaching, university on a modest scale was no more expensive than a college. Besides, in St Stephen’s College, Delhi possessed ‘an efficient coll ES aneetatton” which-couldfosm-the nucleus of the. new university. “The colleges which had at first welcomed the idea of a residential, unitary and teaching university;oon began to have second thoughts. "They felt that a ‘strict application of the unitary principle might sink ‘Scanned with CamScannerfoundation of telin University } 405 and traditions more than as institutions we are 1.’ They wanted an assurance that they would be taken into confidence by the government. A meeting of the repre- sentatives of the three colleges unanimously decided that at least two-thirds of the controlling body of the university. should be repre- sentatives of existing colleges. This body should, they. ele, be given statutory powers to determine the date of move to a new site and the date for ‘separation of intermediate classes front the, university. Agreement of all three colleges would be necessary on these two questions.” The colleges felt that while separation of intermediate from B.A. classes was desirable, it was not practicable on financial’. and other grounds for some time, at any’ rate till the neighbouring universities had effected such separation. . ‘The Education Department now busied itself drafting a Bill for the proposed university which was to be modelled on those of Dacca and Lucknow. Sharp suggested that the new university be called the Prince of Wales University and hoped that His Royal Highiness would lay the foundation stone during his forthcoming visit to India. ‘The Prince of Wales Committee considered the proposal and felt that the Prince of Wales should lay the foundation stone if it was decided that Delhi University would be constructed within a reasonable space of time. But the Education Department could give no assurance regarding this as the Finance Department was unable to guarantee money. The Education Member was, however, very,keen that the Prince of Wales should lay the foundation stone Keelirig prepared a scheme for the building:and the Royal Visit Committee provided 20,000 rupees for the foundation-stone—laying ceremony. Another 10,000 rupees was required to begin the building of Delhi University which was estimated to cost 30 lakh rupees. . “But the Finance Member was against any foundation-stone_laying ceremony until the plans were finalized. The University, he said, ‘may never come into being.’ The Education Member, on the other hand, argued that the university was ‘bound to come into existence as it was difficult to conceive of an Imperial Capital without a University.’ He saw nothing incongruous or ridiculous in asking the Prince of ‘Wales to lay the foundation stone. Hailey, however, firmly opposed the proposal and it was finally dropped. A suggestion was then put forward that the Viceroy should lay the foundation stone, But Hailey was against this also. He argued that because of financial reasons there was no chance of the university being shifted to New Delhi. If our individualit ‘Scanned with CamScanner406 Delhi through the Ages the Viceroy laid the foundation stone, this could be quoted as an argument that he ought to provide the funds. The foundation-stone- laying ceremony was therefore postponed “All the non-Indian members of the Viceroy’s Executive Council poured cold watér on the proposal for a university in Delhi. Sir Winn Winans Gh te cis, ao wt 2H : 1 they were embarking unnecessarily on additional expenditure ata time of great financial stringency. He Suggested that they should wait until a proper exching snd residential university could be constituted. He was doubtful if it was avall ‘wise or necessary’ to starta purely examining university.* "The Finance Member, who had from the start been sceptical, said that he had reluctantly agreed to inchide 75,000 rupees in the next year’s budget because he was told that efforts were being made by ‘extremists to start a national university in Delhi and it was necessary to anticipate them. Further, that the reorganization contemplated by Panjab University could exclude Delhi colleges from university faci- lities. He shared Vincent’s doubts that they were perhaps being Abul Qasim, J. P. Cotelingam and Henry Sharp. The Report of the Joint Select Committee was presented to the Imperial Legislative Assembly on 13 February 1922 and to the Council of State a week later. Minutes of Dissent to the Report were written by four-membérs. ‘Adul Kasem wanted provision to be made inthe statute to the effect that one-third of the members elected by different electorates should be Muslims. V. G. Kale, D. P. Sarbadhikari and Lalubhai Samaldas all expressed concern at the autocratic powers which the Bill had conferred on the Chancellor. They all pleaded for greater university autonomy. : ‘When the Report of the Committee was taken up for discussion in the Legislative Assembly, Mahmood Schamnad Sahib Bahadur supported Abul Qasim’s plea for separate representation for Muslims in the Court and Executive Council. He argued that since half the ‘Scanned with CamScannera Delbi through the Ages population of Delhi was Muhammadan, they ought to be sufficiently represented in all the governing bodies of the university. Sarbadhikari objected’to the distinction made between University-appointed teachers and College teachers. Rai Bahadur C. G. Nag moved an amendment that the Vice-Chancellor should be an honorary officer as Delhi would not be able to afford a paid Vice~Chancellor. K. C. Neogy wanted no outside body, however exalted, to have any control regarding ordinances, regulations, etc., particularly no powers to the Governor-Genéral-in-Council. The Indian members were against excessive official control and suspicious of the powers vested in the Governor-General-in-Council: there was a clause in the Bill (Clause 35 (4) ) which laid down that ‘the University shall not, save with the Previous sanction of the Governor-General-in-Council, recognize (for, the purpose of admission to a course of study for a degree), as equivalent to its own degrees, any degree conferred by any other University.” Munshi Iswar Saran asked whether Oxford and Cambridge referred to the British Cabinet before they recognized the degrees of other universities, to which the Education Member’s reply was that these universities were not financed by the British Govern- ment and therefore the latter had no. voice in their affairs. The government’s underlying fear was-no doubt the recognition of diplomas, certificites and degrees of the national schools and colleges such as the Gujarat Vidyapith and the Kashi Vidyapith which had sprung up during the non-cooperation movement. Some of these institutions may have been sub-standard but a political motive was undoubtedly involved in investing the Governor-General with the power of recognition of degrees. The Delhi University Bill, as amended, was passed on 22 February 1922 by the Legislative Assembly. In the Council of State, Lalubhai Samaldas, while welcoming the Bill feared that without funds the new university would ‘not be a real University, but will be a con- clomeration of the various existing colleges under the exaggerated Same of a University.’ He observed that it was no use introducing amendments as all amendments in the Legislative Assembly had been defeated and there was no possibility of their being passed in the Council of States where the official majority was even greater. The Indian non-official”members were apprehensive that university autonomy wa being taken away and in this they re-echoed the Sentiments expressed by Gokhale nearly two decades earlier when Curzon’s Universities Bill was being debated in the Legislature. The ' ‘Scanned with CamScanner& e e @ e Ss eo ®@ @ @ Foundation of Delhi University an ‘Muslim members once again urged communal representation in uni- versity bodies and introduced an amendment to this effect. While all the five Muslim members voted in its favour, it was opposed by Dr Ganganath Jha, G. S, Khaparde™ and other Indian and European members, on the ground that petty communal considerations should not be introduced into university affairs. As the government was also not in favour of this, the amendment was rejected. The Council of States finally passed the Bill on 28 February 1922. The Viceroy gave hig assent to the Bill on 5 March 1922.55 ' fer some discussion with the principals of the colleges, the Governor-General-in-Council directed that the Act should come into force on 1 May 1922 and a notification to this effect was issued on 6 April 1922. On the same day a notification was also issued regarding the appointment of Hari Singh Gour, a distinguished barrister-at- law from Nagpur, as the first Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University.*” The principal administrative authorities under the Act were: (a) The Court, which consisted of ex-officio members including the principal university officers, principals of colleges, professors and readers of the university, a certain number elected by ‘Registered graduates’, . representatives of certain associations, the Council of States, the Legislative Assembly and the governing bodies of Delhi colleges and a certain number nominated by the: Chancellor. The Court was primarily a legislative and supervisory body which was to meet twice a year. (b) The Executive Council was the chief executive body consisting of twenty-one members of whom seven were princi- pals of colleges, five elected by the Court, three by the Academic Council and two nominated by the Chancellor. Ex:-officio members were the Vice-Chancellor, Rector, Superintendent of Education of Delhi and Ajmer—Merwara and Deans of faculties. The Executive Council had complete control over financial matters and general control over academic administration. It-discharged its functions with the help of various bodies such as the Finance Committee and the committee of selection. (c) The Academic Council consisted of ~ thiry-five members including the Vice-Chancellor, the Rector, three Deans of faculties, seven principals of colleges, one professor, twenty-one readers, the librarian, three members who were not teachers nominated by the Chancellor, and three teachers co-opted by the Academic Council. The Academic Council controlled and regulated the standard of instruction and was respcinsible for instruc tion and examination within the university, : ~ ‘Scanned with CamScanner @412 Delbi through the Ages As is evident, college c i i i Executive Council nd the heat Conn Inte fret ore thir A eer eee were college teachers and in thelatter ea eeey se closely associated with the manage- The Governor-General as Chancell inte isi Exeéutive Council OF twenty-one,* ae eee. tones ‘May and June 1922 and completed the temporary organization of the university. The Vice-Chancellor prepared a draft of the Delhi Uni- versity Code which was laid before the provisional Executive Council and passed by it after some amendments. In June 1922 the Executive Council passed a resolution by which an Academic Council was brought into existence. Financial Committees were also created. G. M. U. Sufi, a member of the Provincial Education Service of C. P. and Berar was appointed Registrar; the Rev. F. J. Weston, Head of the Cambridge Mission in Delhi, Rector; K. C. Roy, Treasurer; N. V. Thadani, Proctor; K. B. Pirzada Muhammad Hussain, Librarian;, and the Rev. P. N. F. Young and Khub Ram of St Stephén’s College were elected Deans of the Faculties of Arts and Science respectively.” The university started functioning with two faculties, of arts and science; a law faculty was established two years later in 1924. Tn the science faculty there were two departments, those of physics and chemistry. The arts faculty included the departments.of English, history, economics, Sanskrit, Arabic and Persian. There were three “ecognized colleges teaching_up to the degree standard_and four ate colleges. however, soon threatened. ~The existence of the new university was, In September 1922, the Legislative Assembly pressed the government to appoint a Retrenchmenst Committee to overhaul its finances. The conpnittee, under the chairmanship of Inchcape, recommended the reconsideration of the scheme for a'university in Delhi. It argued that there was no lack of facilities for university education in north India and that existing financial considerations did not justify the formation of anew university. ‘The Vice-Chancellor and other officials of the university issued two memoranda disagreeing with the Inchcape Committee Report. They said that there was “complete misapprehension on the part of the Committee reeardtng, the University of Delhi.” The Committee seemed to think that the university was still to be formed. Burin fact the university had already been formed and was actually functioning. ‘Scanned with CamScanner ia ~ * Vo @ e-,7.. F* - * ~ Foundation of Delhi University 413 It possessed a Provisional Executive Council and an Honorary Vice~ Chancellor. ‘The necessary ordinances, regulations, rules and other measures had been framed and submitted to the Governmentof India for sanction, approval and information in accordance with the requirements of the Act.* ‘The three Arts Colleges had by now been diseffiliaced from the University of Panjab and had become constituent colleges.of the Delhi University. The Permanent Court had been clected by members Legislative Assembly and Council of States and by registered graduates. It had héld its first meeting on 28 February 1923, over pi * which the Law Member had presided. A group of 303 persons had Bi registered themselves as graduates of the University of Delhi®? and oF the university had realized a sum of over 7,000 rupées as fees from them. The university had also received some endowments. Indeed, by March 1923, the university had almost completed its permanent organization. . Both memoranda argued that the university could not now be scrapped. Students would be stranded. Colleges had increased théir staffs and expenditures on laboratory and library facilities. This could not now be reduced. The university was, in any case, being run on unprecedentedly economic lines, being by far the most cheaply run university in the whole of India. Since the colleges were"private institutions, expenditures on them were already.at a minimum and could not be reduced any further. ; Signatories of the memorandum included the Vice-Chancellor, H. - §. Gour, the Rector, F. J. Weston and the principals of St Stephen’s, Hindu and Ramjas College, F. F. Monk, N. V. ‘Yhadani and Kedar Nath-respectively. This group claimed that the Inchcape Committee _had never consulted the university. The Commitiee, they held, was composed of magnates who were wholly without university education, the sole exception being Sir Purshottamdas Thakurdas.® This memo- randum asked for the support of the governmentand the legislatures, and hoped that these insatutions would not allow Delhi University ‘to be stabbed so soon after its birth and healthy and promising commencement.’ ' . The Education Department strongly favoured the continuance of the university. However, both the Home and Finance Department were against it.°° For officials in these departmen:s the-question was whether it was necessary to go ahead with the university atall. Could not the Delhi University Act simply be suspended by issuing a ‘Scanned with CamScanneres s e e@ a oe s © ° “ aus Delbi through the Ages notification? The Legislative Department was consulted; and it advised that the Act could not be put out of operation by.a simple notification. The proper course would be for the Legislature to repeal the Ac ‘The Viceroy ordered the question to be submitted to a vote of the Assembly on whether the government should support the continua tion of the university. The Legislative Assembly again-debated the whole matter; and on 19 March 1923, it unanimously apptoved continuance of the Delhi University and undertook to finahee it out of the central revenue. Thus, the university whose future had hung so precariously in the balance only afew months after its foundation, received a fresh impetus. : “The first convocation of Delhi University was held in the Legislative ‘Assembly Hall on 26 March 1923. The ceremony was preceded by a series of hectic meetings to complete all preliminary technicalities; and the office staff, it is said, were almost in a state of nervous breakdown. The principals of two of the colleges had to take leave to * recuperate! An imposing ceremony was held as scheduled: The Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor, resplendent in gorgeous official robes, were accompanied to the dais by members of the Executive Council. The floor of the Chamber was occupied by registered graduates and members of the Court, all arrayed in academic robés, as well as by distinguished visitors. Honorary degrees were conferred on the Chancellor, the Earl of Reading, on the Pro-Vice- Chancellor, Sir Muhammad Shafi, and on the Vicé~Chancellor, Dr H. S. Gour. ' Lord Reading in his Convocation Address emphasized that the establishment of a university at the Imperial capital formed an integral portion of the scheme for the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi, He thought chat this was right and proper for it was impossible “to conceive of this Imperial City of India without the necessary adornment and adjunct of a university. Ic would be difficult to imagine a Governor-General, a member in charge of the portfolio of education, and the Education Department of ‘the Government of Tndia, exercising their ultimate responsibility for the moral and intellectual progress of the vast population of India in complete isolation from any visible and practical expression of the highest influence for intellectual arid moral culture.”° Delhi was surrounded by the history of kingdoms and empires. If environment has, indeed, ie alleged influence, Delhi University should produce scholars for ‘Scanned with CamScanner— e « ° * * cd eo wv & Foundation of DMA University Ay ve of the cloisters where the feet of other of for apires we ace at Delhi on all sides, there is price of ith ary, its history around eave abide oy NTrolars in other centuries have trod... ha the ver Kingdon a material for thos ity Hicerature and inc ivilization.! "The Vice-Chancellor in his address said that it was gor r rely at Imperial capital of a who wish to learn of dhe g accident that at ‘the new Delhi nov to he th errand and regenerated India, the centre and symbol of a piring to udl- expression and independence, anew university should becreated which should ser to ity new hopes and a signpost to iti new born aspir ‘The university was housed in rented buildings in differe the old city, {ts administrative offices were successively housed on Underhill Road, in Curzon House on Alipore Road and in the Old ive Assembly Chamber and some adjacent rooms. There was a growing, feeling that this transitional stage could not go on for ever and that some effort should be made for permanent accommodation for the university and its constiwent colleges. When the proposals for the layout of the educational buildings in the new capital had been under consideration back in 1915-16, the government had agreed to erect university buildings, including labo- ratories, Jeccure halls, libraries and other facilities on the Raisina site.” In the plans for New Delhi plots were allotted to the university. Sir Muhammad Shafi, speaking in the Council of States in January 1922, had said, “The Unive ty. will ultimately be located in the new city of Delhi, otherwise call a a In 1923, however, the rated nation rising, and a in inspiration 1 parts of Capital Committee proposed that a Delhi, com- Of the Old Viceregal Lodge and Estate in po! ne ee prising an area of about 250 a be given to Delhi University instead, The Committee was convinced that establishment of the umiversity in the new capital area was ‘neither desirable nor necessary’,” ‘The Committee also suggested that the Viceregal Lodge Site and buildings should be allotted to the university free of rent The Finance Member, on the other hand, wanted these facilities Jeased to the university, for ten, years in the first instarice, at an economic rental.” , The possibility of allotting the Old Viceregal Lodge an Delhi University raised, according to Lord ding ere we On the policy of the government towards New Delhi the Viceroy posed the question as to whether the central aim was eo ereate 24 ‘Scanned with CamScanner46 Delhi through the Ages ) exclusively official city, meant only for the accommodation of its I officers and offices, or whether this was to be a city, not merely an official enclave, which would gradually attract all classes of people who would carry on multifarious activities. He.felt that if the uni- versity were located in Old Delhi, any tendency-on the part of private citizens to gravitate towards New Delhi might cease. The Viceroy wanted the views of the New Capital Committee on this issue. "The New Capital Committee submitted a memorandum stating that when Raisina had been selected as the alternative site it would not appear that anything more had been envisaged than an official Capital. There was no expectation of its ‘transformation into a real city, which would be an living organism irrespective of Government's occupation.’ The Committee’s view was that New Delhi should be ‘the quarter primarily devoted to government work’ bug that in course of time it would become part of a larger metropolitan Delhi. ‘The constriction of the university in Raisina would involve a cost of 30-40 lakh rupees and some of the best residential sites-would be sacrificed forit, The Old Viceregal Ladge, itconcluded, would be far nore economical and convenient. “After considerable discussion in the Governor-General’s Council, an order was issued on 26 March 1926, that ‘the land earmarked for the university in New Delhi be released for other purposes, and that the university be located in the area in the north of old Delhi. Before disposal of the Viceregal Lodge and other parts of the Viceregal Estate the question of the allocation of a suitable site for the university should be considered and determined.””* ‘The university itself now appointed a site committee. This examined the possibilities of several alternative sites—Kashmiri Gate, the Viceregal Estate and the old Metcalfe House Estate. The University’s Executive Council decided in favour of Metcalfe House but the Government decided that it wanted this for the Public Service Com- mission.7¢ There the matter hung. Tn 1927 another Committee was appointed.” Its task was to enquire and report on the extent and nature of assistance, both capital and recurring, which the Governor-General-in-Council might give to the university and to make recommendations to government regarding the permanent sites which might be allocated to the university and its colleges. This Committee recommended the site of the Old Viceregal Lodge and Estate.” Again in 1930, Sir Frank Noyce and A. H. Mackenzie, then the Educational Commissioner, gave a careful ‘Scanned with CamScanner | | |Foundation of Delbi University 47 scrutiny to the recommendations of the 1927 Committees of Enquiry and agreed that the Vi I Lodge. was the only possible site for Delhi University.” But again the transfer was held up. ‘This time delay was due to the needs of the Delhi Conspiracy Case Commission which was housed in the Old Viceregal Lodge buildings. In 1933, after the Commission ended its sittings, the University’s Registrar Wrote to the Chief Commissioner requesting that the building now be transferred to Delhi University." a ‘The Government of India, finally recognizing ‘the urgent need of the University for suitable accommodation in order to establish its corporate life and activities on a sound footing’, dezided not to delay any longer their decision as regards the location of the university and its colleges on the Old Viceregal Lodge Estate. It transferred eighty- seven acres of the Old Viceregal Lodge Estate to the university for a nominal rent of 3,480 rupees per year." The grounds and buildings would céntinue to be maintained. by the Central Public Works Department but the cost of any structural alterations to existing buildings and of any works executed on the land would have to be borne by the university.” This decision, regarding, a permanent site for the university was communica ugh the Chief Commissioner of Delhiin September 1933. fe Executive Council of the university accepted this offer by the Government of India.** All lands and buildings were formally handed over to the university in October 1933. Lord Willingdon was then the Chancellor. Removal of the University Offices ind the Library to ihenew buildings followed immediately. Colleges were not so quick. The only college which was in a position to move to the new site was St Stephen’s; but this event did not take place for some years. Delhi University was originally intended to be a unitary, resi ‘and teaching university of the type recommended b Commission. This scheme, however, had soon to he mo light Of the colleges’ demands for their preservation as separate educational institutions. The university, as it developed, was neither residential nor unitary. It was, like any other Indian universicy, sqinly an affiliating, and examining body. It functioned largely as a collection of associated colleges loosely federated together. The uni- versity undertook no teaching except in law and science and in the latter there was no provision for honours teaching till 1942. The onl teaching done in the arts faculty was in economics and that too came toanend with the death of HL. Chablani, the first reader in economice, ‘Scanned with CamScanner4 418 ; Dethi through the Ages Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar, and even they were constantly changing. 2 Delhi University had failed to receive any substantial measure of public confidence because of conipetition and rivalry berween the colleges and betause of internal strife and factionalism in university affairs. Asa result the university played a very small partin the life of the capital and no partin the life of India as awhole. Itdid not attract undergraduate or postgraduate students from other parts of India and had very little academic society of its own. Ieremsned sel Jk known outside Delhi, and even there, itinspired fit feconfidence.* : Tt was soon realized that the university would develop not on unitary but on federal lines. But certain conditions were considered necessary for thé evolution and its constituent colleges had to be.situated in close proximity to gach other; (2) Each college had to be actively engaged in work of a lard; (3) Each constituent college had to be willing to forego some measure of autonomy in order to share in, and contribute 10, the life of thé university as a ‘whole, and (4) The actual teaching should as far as possible be provided by constituent colleges under the guidance of the university. These conditions long remained impossible to achieve mainly because of the lack of a permanent site where the university and the colleges could be located, until 1933, when the Old Viceregal Lodge and Estate was made available for university and collegiate purposes. This change in site, interestingly, coincided with 2 major and signi- ficant change in the basic academic structure of the university. The idea of a federal university had been discussed at some length by Lord Willingdon.** In his address to the delegates of the Third Quinquennial Universities Conference, held in Delhi in March 1934, he said that the emergence of a federal university was a logical step ‘not a fortuitous coincidence’. Only a university of the federal type could guide and co-ordinate the b ereloermen col exisuagcuileees| The'colleges had to’realize; he felt, that thi 1@ of university was intended to supplement, not supplant, their activities, to fulfil and not to destroy the purpose for which they existed. He was university stand: ‘Scanned with CamScanner of such a university: (1) The university - ZOvewzzvor ‘vZvZov0ElS: Foundation of Delhi University a9 confident that they would then be prepared to submit to a greater degree of university control. Sir George Anderson, in his Convocation Address in 1933, dis- cussed fully the relation between a federal university and its constituent colleges.®” The university, he declared, had to have some say in the appointment of teachers made by the colleges. It should also ‘advise the Government as to how its financial contributions can be applied most effectively for the common good, so that there should be no duplication or waste.’* The Academic Council of Delhi University considered the pro- posals. for a federal type of University from November 1934 to January 1935,” and made its recommendations which were adopted with some modifications by the Executive Council in April 1935.” Jr was-agreed that ‘the actual teaching should as far as possible be furnished by constituent colleges under the guidance of the University” and that ‘teaching should ordinarily be provided by constituent colleges working in close co-operation with one nother.” The uni- versity would ‘supplement, not supplant, the teaching of the colleges, and that mainly in subjects which are beyond the normal scope of colleges or in which centralised teaching is advi Teaching for degree classes in science and law should be provided by the university. ‘THe question of how much autonomy the colleges should have was _ left undecided. It was hoped that the main building would ‘form a nucleus for the development of higher teaching and shall thereby provide an effective means of bringing together into a closer unity the staff and students of the Colleges.’ By such means ‘a true University spirit and valuable University tradition would be engendered.” In 1958 Sir Maurice Gwyer, the first Chief Justice of the Federal Cour, was appointed Vice-Chancellor. The newly established Federal Court in its early years had little work: only three cases came before it - in the first twenty months, so the Viceroy prevailed upon the Chief Justice to take Delhi University in hand. Apart from being an ae Tawyer and an able administrator, Sic Maurice was dso adistinguis academic, arid ae tall Souls, Oxford. He was deeply disearbed atthe condition of the University. On his first visit to the Old Viceregal Lodge, the new Vice- . Chancellor found that ‘Walls were stained with damp/and plaster was coming off them; the roofs and ceilings were decayed. The library was a disgrace.’ It had been shifted to the Dance Hall of the Vi Lodge, a temporary structure built for the Prince: of Wales’ visit to ‘Scanned with CamScanner420 Delhi through the Ages Delhi in 1922. The building had decayed quickly, its wooden floors sagging, the plaster peeling off the roofs and walls. ‘The science laboratories were housed partly in the iniversity buildings and partly in the old Viceregal kitchen. The university had no playfields. The university had made no progress except in law and undergraduate science teaching. Sir Maurice conceived of Delhi University asa miniauire Oxbridge. He dreamt of a cluster of smal residential colleges around the core of the university. Together with the setting provided by the Old Viceregal Todge, a se, wth jts extensive gardens and the Ridge-which separated it both from Mughal and New Delhi, it provided an ideal ceclave Tor an academic community to grow living in close physical and intellectual contact. ; 7 In August 1939, Sir Maurice Gwyer” submiteed 2 memorandum * to the Government of India pleading for an all-India university for Delhi. Delhi would be an intellectual and cultural centre for the whole country. Ele pointed out the advantages which would follow’ from this, especially én view of the stage reached in India’s political coolution. The establishment of provincial autonomy and the com- plete provincialization of education had made the need for a university in the capital of India ‘not less, but infinitely greater’. While a provincial univezsity would reflect and focus the culeural life of the province, a university of the centre should reflect and focus a ‘wider and more general culture and discharge for the whole of India’ the functions which the provincial universities discharged for their respective provinces. ‘Such a University might and should proveone of the great unifying influences in the New India. fe would promore che wiler owe hich contact with the life of a capital city can alone provide; uld become’ a élearing house of ideas and of snrellectual progress; and ie might profoundly infl ¢ those-who ay in forare bi come responsible forthe Government of India,” He argued that the success or failure of the University of Delhi would Sflece the prestige of the Government of India, Te was better to ‘contemplate its painless extinction than to allow it to continue in its present state.’ It seemed to him unthinkable that Delhi should be without a strong university, Delhi should lead and not follow the provinces. Sir a 2 came more and more into control of-her own destiny and as Delhi attracted to itself all those elements, national and international which were to be found in the capital of a great country, ‘the University ‘Scanned with CamScanner "Maurice thought that it would bea tragedy if, as India - OL ‘vErZOvOELS 222i ZS 0KFoundation of Dethi University 421 were never to rise above a provincial level and were even to fall below it.’ He envisaged Delhi University as a National University which would exercise ‘an immense . . . and wholly beneficial influence’ and he could conceive of ‘no single instrament more apt to produce a unifying effect in the moral and intellectual as distinct from the political sphere.’ ' Sir Maurice suggested measures by which the transformation of the university might be effected. He did not want to éreate in Delhi a mere replica of the other universities in India. ‘The distinguishing work of a University at the centre should, above all else, be quality, and neither size nor numbers.’ The main features of his scheme were? -. The development in the capital of an all-India university wich special characteristics of its wn. 2. The establishment of 2 number of professorial chairs and readerships, making it worthwhile for the best men in India to occupy them. 3. The provision of scholarships and other facilities for post- graduate study and research for encouraging young men of real ability to come to Delhi from every part of India, LA. The transfer of the constituent colleges to the University’area. 7 The fixing of a period of three years as the length of the ordinary d&gree course. 6. A review of relations between the university and the colleges, » and of principles in accordance with which maintenance grants are made to colleges. 1 ‘All.chis naturally required increased expenditures, The university had never received an adequate income and this had been one of its primary troubles. Its income consisted of less than one lakh from fees and af annual grant of one lakh from the Government of India. Its endowments (mainly trust funds for providing prizes) were only about half a lakh. Sir Maurice argued that unless the university was farnished with a substantially larger income than was presently made available, it would continue to stagnate. Up to 1939 the university had lived from hand to mouth. Ithad only enough money to exist. Sir Maurice urged that the time had come to take the university seriously. The Government of India accepted the Vice-Chancellor’s scheme and decided initially to make a non-recurring grant of eight lakhs of rupees, spread overa period of five years. Of this, approximately half was to be used for assisting colleges to move to the university site. The Government also decided to increase the recurring grant to the ‘Scanned with CamScanner2 "Delhi through thé Ages university by roughly 25,000 rupees a year, rising to a maximum of one lakh in the fourth year, over and above its present grant. This would enable the university to initiate a scheme for the appointment of professors, readers, and postgraduate research scholars. Sir John Sargent, the Educational Commissioner, felt that the Vice-Chancellor had made outa very strong case in a most persuasive and convincing manner. Fle was particularly glad that Sir Maurice had laid ‘emphasis on the fact that the University of the capital city should have character and standard of its own,’ The Educational Commissioner’s only suggestion was that a Chair of Education should also be established. Sir Maurice believed that expenditures incurred for the purposes he had outlined would be money well spent. Such actions might even lay the foundation for new educa- tional developments in India. ‘India stands on the threshhold of a new era which-will make Delhi again one of the great cities of the world; and it would be a lamentable thing if the New India and the Old Delhi were content with a University which did not reflect in the sphere of intellect and culture the illimitable destiny of. the Indian people.” While circumstances did not allow Delhi University to develop entirely along the lines that Sir Maurice had: envisaged, various measures he initiated had a lasting impact on it. He introduced the three-year B.A. and B.Sc, Pass and Honours degree courses which were drawn up by the faculties concerned and passed by the Academic Council and the Executive Council in April 1943. This was to enable the academically ambitious to specialize in one subject and thus to prepare_them for postgradua qe One imporant feason for higher standards of instruction and performance at the postgraduate level in Delhi than in other Indian universities is the more rigorous undergraduate training students undergo. The three-year degree course is today being accepted by a large number of universities in India. It was during the forties that a number of professors and readers were appointed. In August 1943; the university was able to institute a Readership in English for a period of four years through the generosity of Sir Shri Ram. Dr S. Dutt, formerly Principal of Ramjas College, was appointed Reader in English. DrS. N. Sen, Keeper of Records of the Government of India, was appointed Professor of History in the vear, Dr D'S. Kothan was appointed Reader in Physics and Dr 3, N. Ganguli Reader in Economics. ‘Scanned with CamScanner 4 { |Lounaauon of Vetht University to Like Sir Asutosh Mukherji before him, Sir Maurice searched for _ ‘talent all over the country and among those whom he brought to Delhi were V. K. R. V. Rao, R. U. Singh, T. R. Seshadhasi, P. Maheshwari. aa Sir Maurice was keen on improving the status of teachers and took various measures to improve their salary scales, provide them with staff quarters as well as give them security of tenure. ‘The teacher, as he often said, is ‘the kingpin of the education system’, Delhi University teachers had even then salaries higher than anywhere else in India. College principals were paid not less than 750 rupees Per month, senior teachers 300-20-500.rupees a month and junior teachers - 450-10-250. As a result Delhi was able to attract good teachers. A teacher appointed in any of the constituent colleges was deemed a tuniversity teacher for the purpose of service conditions, pay scales and various other privileges enjoyed by teachers directly appointed by the university. ‘The library which in its early yéars suffered from lack of attention and space, now started improving. Dr S. R. Ranganathan, then librartan of Madras University, was brought to reorganize the Delhi University library. The renovation was achieved with a donation of 25,000 rupees from G. D. Birla, Of its new equipment, sixteen magnificent Burma teak bookcases were obtained with donations from Lord Linlithgow, the Chancellor, Sir Maurice Gwyer and the ‘Warden and Fellows of All Souls College, Oxford. The library’s new building, however, opened only in 1958. Various all-India open entrance scholarships were instituted to attract students from different parts of the country. Honours and postgraduate classes were started in science in July 1942 and teaching ae cclance subjects was done entirely by the university deparunents. Extension lectures. were introduced where renowned figures such as E. M. Forster, Homi Bhabha and Eve Joliot Curie were invited to speak. The Delhi University Act was amended in 1943 to provide for three-year degree courses and to make provision for 4 full-time paid Vice-Chancellor. The last provision was not to apply to Sir Maurice. ‘ortunately for Delhi university, it found in Sir Maurice a man of vision and ability to carry his schemes through. He also had a long, spell of twelve years as Vice-Chancellor which enabled him to trans- late many of his ideas into reality. ' In 1933 only the university offices had shifted tc the Old Viceregal Lodge. A few years later the library moved. Sites were offered to the ‘Scanned with CamScannernoe Delhi through the Ages Peer onen but the construction of buildings was delayed are o i ‘Second World War. The first to move to the new site Cal eeets Callegein 1942, followed by Hindu College, Ramjas oeike and the College of Commerce. The moving in of these he was the beginning of the growth of the university campus. a ¢ university celebrated its silver jubilee in May 1947. The silver i ile year saw the country attain its independence. The university es lebrated Independence Day with Professor V. K. R. V. Rao hoisting jhe.national flag on the university main building and Dr Radha- eed hoisting it on the Law School building. Sir Maurice Gwyer, who was then in Kasauli, sent a message: “The new India will open sal wider horizons for this university of which, I hope, that it will ‘ways remain’a real all-India University in the cultural sense. Thope too that it may become one of the most important cultural links between India and the outside world.’ Ata special convocation held on 7 March 1948, honorary degrees were conferred on Jawaharlal Nehru, Zakir Hussain, Maulana Azad, John Sargent, Rajlcumari Amrit Kaur and Lord Mountbatten among, others. On this occasion Lord Mountbatten disclosed: ‘Itisa curious but to my wife Universi loundanonin celebrated our immediately apparent until { tell you that tay wife to marry me was Room No.13, which is now the Registrar's office? In 1956, when Lady Mountbarven came 6 Dalhi, the then Vice-Chancellor, Dr Mchajan, invited her to visit the room where a marble tablet with this statement inscribed on it was fixed on the wall. canes "The large-scale increase in population after Partition naturally changed the character of, the city and had repercussions on the university. To zecommodate displaced students from West Panjab, the university was obliged to adopt some new regulations and relax coene existing ones. Hindu College, Ramjas College and Indraprastha College each ran a second shift. New colleges had to be started to meet the demand. Hansraj College was started by the managing committee of the D. A. V. College, Lahore. Panjab University began that was then called the Camp College, employing the staff dis- in West Panjab and the North West Frontier from colleges ! Pence ‘cated for almost a decade in a number of buildings on ‘Scanned with CamScanner da3Qvud ~jeans e B e @e & 6 ® ® @® 8 Foundation of Delhi University 425, Mandir Marg. Postgraduate classes from here were taken over by Delhi University as an evening college and located in tht Arts Faculty Building, while undergraduate classes were shifted to Central College which was taken over by a Christign Mission and called Nirmala College. This was subsequently taken over by the Kirorimal Trust and renamed Kirosimal Collegein 1954, ~ in 1946 the departments of anthropology, botany, library scieice, modern European languages and zoology were started. The faculties of agriculture and forestry and technology began in 1947, and the social science faculty iri 1949. In 1948 a second women’s college on the campus, Miranda House, was established. It was named after Sir Maurice Gwye’s favourite Shakespearean character and was also the name of his daughter. The old Anglo Arabic College, Delhi's oldest college, was reopened as Delhi College. The foundation stone of the arts faculty building was laid by Lord Mountbatten in 1948. The Central Institue of Educatior was started’at the same time and the decision taken to develop the Department of Economics into the Delhi School of Economics. Jubilee Hall, a resiclential hostel for postgraduate and law students was inaugurated and the cutorial bul ne ‘was completed. “Delhi University which had made little progress in its first ewenty years, started developing after 1947. After it was recognized as a central university’ and started receiving generous grants from the University Grants Commission. It is also fortunate that Delhi has perhaps the strongest school system in the country. The growth of the University of Delhi has been linked with the growth of Delhi not only as the political and administrative capital of India but also.as the centre of culture, sports and arts in the country. NOTES oes 1. St Stephen's College was founded in 1882 by the Cambridge Mission simultaneously with the founding of Punjab University. In the beginning ic was situated in a rented building in a back street behind Chandni Chowk in Kushal Rai ka Katra, Its first principal was Canon Samuel Scoxt Allnut. In 1891 it shifted to anew building. Se Stephen's College Magazine, February 1921, p. 4. . Hindu College opened in May 1899. Shri Kishan Gurawaila was its founder. It was located in a rented building in Charidai Chowk, Its aim was to give inexpensive secular education side by side with religious instruction according to the principles of the Sanatan Dharma. nN ‘Scanned with CamScanner