The Delhi University Academic Council (AC) has rejected a proposed move to apply National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) ratings to Delhi University-affiliated colleges.
AC member Dr. Abha Dev Habib said: “If NAAC is implemented, colleges would receive funds based on their ratings on infrastructure, research, library facilities, research and results. Also students studying in colleges with lower ratings would be passing out from officially rated B or C grade colleges. Many colleges would have introduced add-on courses in association with private players in a bid to improve their ratings. This would have lead to privatisation and commercialisation of education. Also autonomous colleges would receive more funds. This would usher in an era of autonomous colleges and dismantle the existing system of the University.”
The move to introduce NAAC had been rejected by the AC in the late 1990s and in 2004 as well. “Yet the Vice-Chancellor persisted in his efforts to introduce NAAC,” Dr. Habib said, adding, “This recommendation came from the University Grants Commission (UGC) as it wanted to have more control over the colleges and universities.
Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Deepak Pental said since NAAC in its present form was unacceptable to many an assessment cell would be formulated to work on the parameters of evaluating colleges. “It will be in place in a month. Also, separate agencies should be responsible for accreditation and assessment. Performances of colleges should be recorded on the basis of measurable indices such as student-teacher ratios and papers presented,” he added.
AC members also protested the proposed introduction of the semester system and asked the V-C to open a debate on the desirability and feasibility of the same.
“The staff councils of 25 colleges including Miranda House, St. Stephen’s, Kirori Mal, Lady Shri Ram and others rejected the proposed semester system in November 2008,” Dr. Habib said.
“The semester system will result in dilution of the Honours programmes which are the pride of DU. The semester system will entail slashing of syllabus content and choices given to students. Students will be living from one exam to another and would miss out on extra-curricular activities. Just because the semester system is popular abroad, it should not be incorporated here without examining the Indian context,” she added.
However, Prof Pental said: “Colleges have started work on implementing the semester system and it shall be in place by 2010. The semester system is globally followed and there will be more exams and more discipline for students as well as increased involvement of teachers.”
A decision was also taken to merge the three law centres of the Law Faculty into a single centre.
The Law Faculty will also shift to a new campus near Mukherjee Nagar. The campus is expected to be ready in two years.
Agreement
Despite widespread agreement on introducing an extra period of classes per paper for students from the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, a decision on the same was deferred for the next meeting owing to lapsing of time.
“The next meeting of the AC will be held in a month or a month and a half,” Prof Pental said.
