A university official said the show is being organized to inculcate scientific temper among the students (file photo)
According to a poster of the event, renowned magician Samrat Shankar will perform the show on May 3 at the Multipurpose Sports Complex.
Delhi University’s move to spend Rs 5 lakh on a magic show as part of its centenary celebrations has run into bad weather, as a section of teachers objected to organizing such an event amid a “severe paucity of funds”. The logic behind is questioned. According to a poster of the event, renowned magician Samrat Shankar will present the show on May 3 at the multipurpose sports complex of the university. Also said that this program is being organized by the Culture Council of Delhi University.
Entry is strictly through registration, reads the poster.
A university official said that the show is being organized to develop scientific temper among the students.
Opposing the move, a section of teachers alleged that the magic show was a “waste of public money” and pointed out that various R&D grants and innovation projects have been discontinued due to lack of funds.
“One should not forget that Delhi University (DU) is not Hogwarts. It is sheer wastage to spend public money on magic shows when the official committee itself has accepted the serious paucity of funds for library, laboratory, infrastructure development and research,” laments former DU executive council member Rajesh Jha. Expressed.
Jha, who teaches at the university’s Rajdhani College, said DU should be a center for promoting excellence in research to spread the scientific temper.
“Research and development grants and innovation projects have been discontinued. Development funds collected from students were increased by 150 per cent. In such a scenario of fund crunch, organizing magic shows is putting unnecessary pressure on the finances of the university,” he insisted.
The magic show also comes in the backdrop of alleged non-payment of pension and salaries to pensioners and ad-hoc teachers of several colleges under the university.
Meanwhile, Delhi University defended the move and said that the amount (Rs 5 lakh) was not huge as “singers usually charge Rs 40 lakh to 60 lakh for a performance”.
“No one has to pay for the magic show. But entry is through registration. We are withdrawing money from the Centenary Celebrations Fund. The amount is not big. Colleges pay in lakhs for big shows. This amount is nothing,” said the diversity officer.
We are organizing this show to develop scientific temper among the students. About three thousand people are expected to attend the show. The magician is famous all over India and he is charging us a very small amount,” he said.
Assistant Professor Abha Dev Habib from Miranda House suggested that the university could organize a seminar where researchers could impart some kind of knowledge rather than a magic show.
“At a time when the university is facing various issues, money is being wasted on such programmes. It could be a symposium organized by alumnae, former students and researchers prepared by the university,” he argued.
On one hand, they (DU) are asking for higher wages, said a member of the academic council of the university. Education Funding Agency (HEFA) gives loan citing paucity of funds, and on the other hand, they are hosting a magic show.” This is utter nonsense in the name of centenary celebrations. Complete waste of money. The money could have been spent elsewhere,” said associate professor Naveen Gaur.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)
