Dyal Singh College

ONE of the old colleges of New Delhi will retain its name, at least for now. The ill-conceived move to rename Dyal Singh College (Evening) to Vande Mataram Mahavidyalaya has been put on hold. Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar’s assurance to Parliament on this issue was prompted by the issue being raised by Shiromani Akali Dal MP Naresh Gujral. 

Institutional names reflect their heritage, and in this case, it commemorates the founder, Dyal Singh Majithia, who had bequeathed his estate to educational institutions, founding and funding several colleges, schools and libraries. Dyal Singh Majithia also founded The Tribune. The argument extended by Delhi University and the managing committee of the college that there needed to be a distinction between the colleges run during the day and in the evening, did not hold much ground, since the two institutions are distinguished easily by adding the word “evening” at the end of the evening college. Sharp criticism of the move has, obviously, had a certain impact on the BJP high command. Punjabi leaders, cutting across party lines, had criticised the move, as had academics and old students. The original Dyal Singh College, Lahore, still retains its name, as does the library founded by the philanthropist in what was then Punjab’s capital. 

Instead of renaming the college, the committee and the university should have concentrated on improving the infrastructure and removing other constraints that have impacted the growth of the college. The recent controversy has brought to the fore various shortcomings that have bedevilled this institution. Dyal Singh College, Delhi, is a pale shadow of what it should have been. The HRD Minister should provide the impetus necessary to release funds and provide this historic college with the assistance it needs to excel. That, rather than the assurance he gave in Parliament, would be the best way to wrap up this misadventure.