Delhi University finalises syllabus amid allegations by teachers

Even as Delhi University’s Faculty of Arts finalised the syllabus for several of its courses like English, Hindi, Urdu and Psychology on Friday – there were several allegations of foul-play and arm-twisting from the teachers in many of these departments.

“Discussion was not allowed to take place on the curricular content of the various courses before declaring them passed. The meeting, held on Friday afternoon, however, saw stormy denunciations by a large number of representatives from the colleges and university departments who felt that hardly any time was given to them to consider the courses. Teachers called for a postponement of the decision to next week but this was declined. It was also observed that the Urdu department did not have a single meeting of the Committee of Courses before finalising its courses. Many teachers from various colleges and departments submitted their dissent on not being allowed the right to speak in the meeting,” said Prof. Vijaya Venkataraman, who was present in the meeting.

Many teachers alleged that a deliberate exclusion was being practiced in the process of syllabus-making.

“Only a few teachers from the lesser-known colleges were invited to the meetings. Earlier there was a proper process of meetings and deliberations where even if a teacher was not part of the syllabus revision he or she was at least sent a copy. But now it is all so hushed up that the papers have been kept a secret,” said English teacher Sanam Khanna.

Meanwhile, Hindi teachers were unhappy with the fact that they were not even considered in the process of making the syllabus and that the decisions were taken at the department level. “Hindi teachers were agitated over the fact that in the Committee of Courses, which passed the courses in the department, they did not invite teachers from the colleges. When asked, the Head of the Department responded that because the Department does not have seniority list, it did not invite college teachers. The regulations (16, 16 B (1) and 16 B (2)) require presence of at least four college teachers,” said one teacher.

A petition signed by several teachers was sent to the Dean and Head, Arts Faculty on Thursday.

Earlier in the month, the History department had several dissenters who refused to be part of the syllabus making. “The meeting was an eye-wash as the teachers were just told that the syllabus will be made, dissent or not, so the teachers really had no choice in the matter,” said a teacher.