Aparna Basu, a noted historian, author and Professor .

Aparna Basu, a Doctorate in History

from University of Cambridge, has worked in many roles—as Professor of History in
University of Delhi, member of the Advisory Board of the Indian Journal of Gender Studies,
patron of All-India Women’s Conference, and more, as well as contributed immensely to the
field of social sciences.

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. Henry
Sharp, the Education Secretary held that neither St Stephen's nor Hindu was a secure institution,
and there was a need for a government college .Sir Harcourt Butler, the Education Member of the
Governor-General's Council, agreed with this proposal. This whole scheme, however, was shelved on
the outbreak of war in 1914.

In September 1918, as the First World War was drawing to a close, Sharp once again revived the
scheme of a government college. Colleges in Delhi were not enthusiastic about a new government
College due to the fear of competition. Faced with this opposition from the colleges and in view of
the Calcutta University commissions report , the education department abandoned the idea of a
government college and instead pleaded for the establishment of unitary teaching University.

The government scheme regarding Delhi University consisted of two parts the provisional and the
permanent. According to the provisional scheme existing colleges with their hostels would remain in
the present quarters in the city. Ramjas College would become an intermediate College while
Stephens and Hindu would have classes for graduate and post graduate courses. The Permanent
scheme envisaged that the colleges would ultimately become intermediate colleges and the
authorities would build hostels or halls on the Raisina site.

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 Punjab 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 of Delhi.

Sharp suggested that the new University be called the Prince of Wales University and hoped that his
Royal highness would lay the foundation stone but the finance member was against any foundation
stone laying ceremony until the plans were finalised. Hailey was against this also because there was
no chance of the university being shifted to New Delhi because of financial reasons. The foundation
stone laying ceremony was therefore postponed . the home member William Vincent was of the
view that the scheme was premature. .the two Indian members of the council BN Sharma and Tej
Bahadur Sapru were however enthusiastic about this scheme.

The Delhi University Bill was introduced in the imperial legislative assembly on 16 January 1922 by
education Secretary, Henry Sharp. Delhi University was to be under the control of government of
India and the Governor general was to be the Chancellor.

The Bill was referred to a Joint Select Committee Consisting of seven members from the Council of
States and 5 members of the legislative assembly. 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 the Court and Executive Council. The Indian
members were against excessive official control and suspicious of the powers vested in the Governor
- General-in-Council. Hari Singh Gour, T.V. Seshagiri Ayyar, J.P. Cotelingam and others expressed the
anxiety of the colleges regarding the preservation and continuity of their own identity. The only note
of discord regarding the principles of the Bill was raised by N. M. Joshi who felt that unitary
residential universities might restrict the spread of education .

The Delhi University Bill, as amended, was passed on 22 February 1922 by the Legislative Assembly
After 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. 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, (b) The Executive Council
c) the academic council

The Governor-General as Chancellor appointed a provisional Executive Council of twenty-one. which

Completed the temporary organization of the university . The Vice-Chancellor prepared a draft of
the Delhi University Code which was laid before the provisional Executive Council and passed by it
after some amendments.

The university started functioning with two faculties, of arts and science; a law faculty was
established two years later in 1924.. The existence of new University was soon threatened in
September 1992, the legislative assembly pressed the government to appoint a Retrenchment
Committee to overhaul its finances. The education department strongly favoured the continuance
of the university. However both the home and finance department were against it

The legislative assembly on 19 March 1923 unanimously approved the continuance of Delhi
University and undertook to finance it out of Central revenue. The first convocation of Delhi
University was held in the legislative assembly hall on 26 March 1923 Lord Reading in his
convocation address emphasised that the establishment of a university at the imperial capital
formed an integral portion of the scheme for the transfer of capital from Calcutta to Delhi .

in 1923 the new capital committee proposed that the portion of the old Viceregal Lodge and Estate
in old Delhi comprising an area of about 250 acres to be given to Delhi University. The new capital
committee submitted a memorandum stating that the construction of university in Raisina would
involve a cost of 30 to 40 lakh rupees and some of the best residential sites would be sacrificed for
it .it concluded that the old viceregal Lodge would be far more economical and convenient . after
considerable discussion an order was issued on 26 March 1926 stating that the university be located
in the area in the north of old Delhi .the university itself now appointed a site committee. This
examined the possibilities of several alternative sites like Kashmere Gate , the viceregal estate and
the old metCalfe House estate.

In 1933 the government of India finally transferred 87 acres of old viceregal Lodge estate to the
university for a nominal rent of Rs.3480 per year .this decision regarding a permanent site for the
university was communicated through the chief Commissioner of Delhi in September 1933 . the only
college which was in position to move to the new site was St Stephens but this event did not place
take place for some years .
.Delhi University had failed to receive any substantial measure of public confidence because of
competition and rivalry between the colleges and because of internal strife and factionalism in
university affairs .it remained scarcely known outside Delhi. Although the change in sight
interestingly Coincided with a major and significant change in the basic academic structure of the
university .

Lord Willingdon Supported and discussed the emergence of a federal university saying that it was a
logical step because only a university of federal type could guide and coordinate the development of
existing colleges in delhi .Sir George Anderson discussed the relation between a federal university
and its constituent colleges .The academic council of Delhi University considered the proposals for a
federal type of university from November 1934 to January 1935. It was agreed that the university
would supplement the teaching of the colleges mainly in subjects which are beyond the normal
scope of colleges or in which centralise teaching is advisable . Teaching for degree classes in science
and law should be provided by the university.

In 1938 Sir Maurice Gwyer was appointed vice chancellor .he was deeply disturbed by the condition
of the university . The university had made no progress except in law and under graduate science
teaching. In August 1939 Sir Maurice Gwyer submitted a memorandum to the government of India
pleading for an all India university for Delhi. Such a university might and should prove one of the
great unifying influences in the new India. He argued that the success or failure of the University of
Delhi would affect the prestige of government of India. He discussed and suggested measures by
which the transformation of university might be effected. The university never received an adequate
income and this has been one of its primary troubles. Sir Maurice urged at the time had come to
take University seriously. The government of India accepted vice chancellor’s scheme and decided
initially to make a non-recurring grant of eight lakh rupees spread over a period of five years.

While circumstances did not allow University of Delhi 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 BA and Bsc 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.

It was during the 40s that a number of professors and readers were appointed for example Dr SN
Sen was appointed professor of history, Dr DS Kothari was appointed reader in physics etc. Delhi
University teachers had salaries higher than anywhere else in India as a result Delhi was able to
attract good teachers. The library which in its early Years suffered from lack of attention and space
now started improving. The renovation was achieved with a donation of Rs.25,000 from GD Birla.
The librarie’s new building opened in 1958. Various all India open entrance scholarships were
instituted to attract students from different parts of the country. Extension lectures Were introduced
where renowned figures such as EM Forster, Homi Bhabha and Eve Joliot Curie were invited to
speak. Construction of buildings of the university was delayed because of the Second World War. the
1st to move to the new site was St Stephen’s College in 1942 followed by Hindu College ,Ramjas
College and College of commerce .the moving in of these colleges was the beginning of growth of
university campus .the university celebrated its silver jubilee in May 1947
the large scale increase in population after partition naturally changed the character of the city and
had repercussions on the University . Hindu College, Ramjas College and Indraprastha College each
ran a second shift .Hansraj College was started by managing committee of the DAV College Lahore .
under graduate classes were shifted to Central College which was taken over by the Christian
Mission and Called Nirmala College this was subsequently taken over by the kirorimal trust and
renamed Kirori Mal College in 1954 .in 1946 the departments of anthropology, botany, library
science, modern european languages and zoology were started. The faculties of agriculture and
forestry and technology began in 1947, and the social science faculty in 1949. In 1948 a second
women’s college on the campus Miranda House was established. It was named after Sir Maurice
Gwyer’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 Jubilee Hall , residential hostel
for Post graduate and Law students was inaugurated and tutorial building was completed

Delhi University which had made little progress in its first 20 years started developing after 1947
after it was recognised as a central university and started receiving generous grants from the
University grants commission. The growth of the University of Delhi has been linked with the growth
of Delhi not only as a political and administrative capital of India but also as the centre of culture in
sports and arts in the country.