Delhi University's strategic move to attract philanthropic funding by offering time-bound naming rights to major donors has encountered a sluggish response. The initiative, aimed at reducing reliance on government grants, has seen only one donation-backed construction project commence, with no buildings renamed so far.
Donation Inflow Remains Tepid
Data from the university reveals that donation inflow until last year amounted to approximately Rs 2.3 crore. A significant portion of this sum came from a single source—the Rita Bhargava Mukerji Memorial Charitable Trust. This trust has pledged Rs 5 crore for constructing a floor in the new extension building of the Faculty of Management Studies, marking the sole donation-backed construction currently in progress.
However, the broader trend is concerning. Contributions from alumni have shown a notable decline. Between May 2023 and March 2024, 68 alumni contributed over Rs 1 crore. This number dropped to 32 alumni contributing Rs 43.1 lakh from April to December 2024. In the last recorded period, only four alumni donated Rs 1.8 lakh.
Corporate and Trust Funding Dries Up
The decline extends beyond individual alumni. Donations from trusts, societies, and companies have also fallen sharply. The university received Rs 30 lakh from 10 such donors between May 2023 and March 2024. In contrast, only three donors contributed Rs 2 lakh from April to December 2024. Beyond instalments from a previously committed project, DU has not secured any new philanthropic corporate or trust funds.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) support has largely materialized in-kind rather than as cash for infrastructure. For instance, since 2024, BSES companies have donated 824 laptops and 454 tablets, valued at over Rs 4.6 crore, for student support programs like Sashakt Beti and e-Drishti.
The Naming Rights Framework and Alumni Engagement Challenge
The naming-rights policy, approved last year, establishes clear donation slabs. A donation of Rs 5 crore and above can secure naming rights for up to 33 years, while Rs 2-5 crore grants 20 years, and Rs 1-2 crore offers 10 years. The rules also mandate that a donation must cover at least 60% of the construction cost to qualify. Despite this framework, no facility has been renamed yet.
Anil Kumar, CEO of the Udhmodya Foundation which manages DU's fundraising, highlighted a cultural hurdle. He noted that, unlike in the US, fewer alumni in India donate for institutional development, often feeling a stronger connection to their individual college. The foundation is countering this by organizing regular alumni meets in cities like Mumbai and Singapore to tap into DU's network of prominent figures in government, judiciary, media, and business.
The DU Foundation, operational since April 2023, receives an annual grant of Rs 50 lakh to support its operations and has raised Rs 4.3 crore overall from alumni and philanthropic sources. While scholarships and student support programs have seen some contributions—like a Japan-based foundation's grant of Rs 12 lakh per year for 20 students—the flagship policy for infrastructure funding through naming rights is clearly yet to gain the desired momentum.
