Delhi University’s Academic Council on Monday gave its nod to convert the coveted three-year undergraduate programme into four years, with the entire structure of the traditional course coming in for a major overhaul come June.
“The course will give the student the option to quit after two years with an associate degree, quit after three years with a bachelors degree and if the student completes all four years, then an honours degree. Sports and cultural activities will form part of the curriculum and the course will be multi-disciplinary which allows the student to choose his subject across streams,” said Vice-Chancellor Dinesh Singh, adding that a few foundation subjects will be compulsory.
The meeting, which lasted the entire day, was not without some drama with the Left-leaning teaching community putting up a vociferous protest outside the venue of the meeting at about 8.30 a.m. They accused the University of pushing through the proposal post-haste without consulting a major portion of the teaching community. They also cried foul over the timings of the meeting, which they said fell during vacation time and alleged that this was done with malicious intent.
“We will continue to firmly oppose this unilateral restructuring through mass-agitations and public campaigns. We demand that this decision be immediately revoked and the process of legitimate and formal consultations begun,” said a statement released by almost all the Left-leaning student and teacher associations in the University.
According to the University, the dissent of six or seven members was recorded and that there were about 100 plus members at the meeting.
