The Delhi University (DU) is considering introduction of four-year undergraduate courses as part of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), a move being opposed by teachers' associations. The university had in September formed a committee to formulate the guidelines for the implementation of the NEP, which was announced in June.
The committee members had last week received an e-mail regarding the courses to add to their guidelines, including four-year undergraduate courses. DU had introduced the Four Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) in 2014. It was scrapped by the government after massive protests by students and teachers, the same year, an official familiar with the development said.
As per the proposed plan, honours courses to be recast into majors in four years. Students will not get an honours degree in three years. Language courses and smaller departments not offering honours courses will close down. And, if students choose to exit from the course after first and second year they will get a certificate and diploma, respectively. However, no final decision has been taken yet, the official added.
Several teachers at the university said that DU would repeat the mistake by implementing four-year programmes again. Seema Das, Member of Academic Council said, "My suggestion is not to reduce the number of core papers up to the third year, considering that in the fourth year, if a student is expected to do research, the knowledge of core papers would provide the foundation necessary for conducting said research." It's unfortunate to note that the University of Delhi has not learned its lessons from its colossal failure of the past: especially in academic reforms. The NEP is a rehash of the FYUP in many ways. DU should not implement these decisions in haste without consulting with the teachers and students, said Nandita Narain, associate professor at St Stephen's College.
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