End to DU impasse in sight, academics offer fresh solution
26 Jun 2014 5:40 AM IST
A group of eminent academics including vice-chancellors, scientists and senior professors have come out with a formula to end the logjam in Delhi University over the four-year-degree programme (FYUP). Though Delhi University vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh and the UGC may still be holding to a tough public stand, there are indications that back-channel negotiations have started to end the stalemate.
Unconfirmed reports at the time of going to press said that the UGC has issued a fresh directive to roll back the FYUP by Thursday remaining ambivalent on the point whether it could be done in the light of the new formula.
-Meanwhile, partially restarting the admission process, the entrance examination for admission to the Bachelors in Management (BMS) will be held as per schedule on Thursday. ‘Our appeal is to both UGC and VC to consider our formula to provide a programme of study, which can solve the current tussle,’ said Vijay K Choudhary, Professor in Department of Microbiology, DU. According to Dr Sunil Sondhi, principal, Maharaja Agrasen College, one of the signatories to the appeal, ‘The formula envisages granting honours degree in three years but retaining the newly devised curriculum.’
‘A 3-year Honours programme can be easily devised by retrieving several features of the old semester format and by reducing the existing courses that are not of the Honours stream.
Second, a honours degree should be given in three years. Third, the foundation courses may be reduced in number and may be offered only in first year. A choice may be built into the format for these courses. Fourth, the existing B Tech courses may be left untouched except for a reduction in the number of foundation courses of the second year and they may be replaced with the requisite number of Discipline Course 1 subjects. Last, the university may wish to offer a fourth year of study which can be done by creating a honours by research programme within an overall credit based system, with approval of all regulatory bodies,’ said Professor Choudhary.
The proposal has been faxed by the signatories simultaneously to the vice-chancellor, the University Grants Commission and the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry. ‘The stalemate should end as its besmirching the reputation of Delhi University,’ said Professor JP Sharma, Dean, Commerce and Business at Delhi School of Economics.  Â
When enquired about the timeline for implementing the formula, Professor Choudhary said, ‘This can be implemented easily. If all the three stakeholders agree, the process can begin by calling a Academic Council meeting and getting it approved in the Executive Council and admissions could begin as early as 30 June and academic session 2014-15 start by 28 July.’
The other members of the group included Professor Samir Brahmachari (Former Director-General CSIR), Professor Arun Grover (vice-chancellor, Punjab University), Professor Anil Tyagi (vice-chancellor, GGSIP, DU), Professor Valson Thampu (Principal, St Stephen’s College), Professor Anand Prakash (Department of psychology) and Dr Anula Maurya (Principal, Kalindi College) among others.
Unconfirmed reports at the time of going to press said that the UGC has issued a fresh directive to roll back the FYUP by Thursday remaining ambivalent on the point whether it could be done in the light of the new formula.
-Meanwhile, partially restarting the admission process, the entrance examination for admission to the Bachelors in Management (BMS) will be held as per schedule on Thursday. ‘Our appeal is to both UGC and VC to consider our formula to provide a programme of study, which can solve the current tussle,’ said Vijay K Choudhary, Professor in Department of Microbiology, DU. According to Dr Sunil Sondhi, principal, Maharaja Agrasen College, one of the signatories to the appeal, ‘The formula envisages granting honours degree in three years but retaining the newly devised curriculum.’
‘A 3-year Honours programme can be easily devised by retrieving several features of the old semester format and by reducing the existing courses that are not of the Honours stream.
Second, a honours degree should be given in three years. Third, the foundation courses may be reduced in number and may be offered only in first year. A choice may be built into the format for these courses. Fourth, the existing B Tech courses may be left untouched except for a reduction in the number of foundation courses of the second year and they may be replaced with the requisite number of Discipline Course 1 subjects. Last, the university may wish to offer a fourth year of study which can be done by creating a honours by research programme within an overall credit based system, with approval of all regulatory bodies,’ said Professor Choudhary.
The proposal has been faxed by the signatories simultaneously to the vice-chancellor, the University Grants Commission and the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry. ‘The stalemate should end as its besmirching the reputation of Delhi University,’ said Professor JP Sharma, Dean, Commerce and Business at Delhi School of Economics.  Â
When enquired about the timeline for implementing the formula, Professor Choudhary said, ‘This can be implemented easily. If all the three stakeholders agree, the process can begin by calling a Academic Council meeting and getting it approved in the Executive Council and admissions could begin as early as 30 June and academic session 2014-15 start by 28 July.’
The other members of the group included Professor Samir Brahmachari (Former Director-General CSIR), Professor Arun Grover (vice-chancellor, Punjab University), Professor Anil Tyagi (vice-chancellor, GGSIP, DU), Professor Valson Thampu (Principal, St Stephen’s College), Professor Anand Prakash (Department of psychology) and Dr Anula Maurya (Principal, Kalindi College) among others.
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