Delhi University on Saturday formally scrapped its controversial four-year undergraduate programme after a resolution to revert back to the three-year format was ratified by the varsity’s Academic and Executive Councils.
The development has come a day after DU vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh announced that >the university has agreed to roll back FYUP as directed by the University Grants Commission.
As soon as news of Delhi University’s decision to accept the University Grants Commission directive broke, some groups broke into celebrations while one faction of teachers continued with their hunger strike stating that it was a loss for the university’s autonomy.
Members belonging to the Delhi University Students’ Union, controlled by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, started dancing and bursting crackers. The Left-affiliated All India Students’ Association also took out a victory march in the evening.
Here are some of the questions from our readers: Our reporters Anita Joshua and Vijetha S.N have answers.
Q: What are the basic problem UGC have with FYUP or what could be possible shortcomings of the course?
Anita Joshua: As per the UGC, Delhi University had not taken the necessary clearances for FYUP; making the degree that would be awarded illegal.
Q: What about the fate of BTech students?
Vijetha S.N: The thing is B.Tech was earlier Bsc, so there is nothing to be lost. if there was a BTech in Psychology, then it will be Bsc. In Psychology. It will be taught by the same teachers. There is nothing to lose here.
Q: Isn't this is political motivated decision?
Anita Joshua: Yes, there is a political angle to the entire controversy. Scrapping FYUP was an election promise of the BJP but there is now no denying that the University was on a weak wicket because it had not taken the necessary clearances for the programme.
Q: Wouldn't it have been better to go for FYUP? We would have prepared our students for facing the global challenges and meet international standards.
Vijetha S.N: This was the reasons given by DU for implementing FYUP in the first place. But, sadly the FYUP which was finally implemented had substandard courses and there was lack of infrastructure to actually deliver on the promises made by FYUP. Therefore, your children would lack the rudimentary knowledge needed to be competant globally.
Q: FYUP as projected by it's proposers targeted at the main complain of the India Industry that the graduates lacked Job skills and especially problem soving skills. But how this has never been explained by the DU administration.
Vijetha S.N: The administration maintained that a majority of its graduates never got placed whenever they called companies to campus. The administration said that the companies told them specifically that hiriing graduates from DU was a liability since the companies had to train them again
Q: What are the changes proposed for the curriculum of students already enrolled under FYUP ?
Vijetha S.N: The three year programme needs a total of 18 disciplines. Since first year FYUP students have completed four of out this, the proposal is to finish the remaining 14 disciplines in two years.
Q: Why were all these discussions not held before fyup was implemented?
Vijetha S.N: The Hindu newspaper posed several questions about the FYUP from the stage of its announcement to the implementation and again throughout the year. teachers too were raising important questions and protesting vociferously. The university administration, according to the allegations of these teachers, had the backing of those in power then, and was therefore able to bulldoze this course.
Q: What would happen to the already enrolled course students? Will their syllabus be cut short?
Vijetha S.N: No, the university or the proposal with the univerisity is to complete all the coure courses which will ordinarily be taken under the conventional three year course
Q: By when can the formula for migration of 2013 batch students to Three Year program be expected?
Anita Joshua: The first priority is to roll out a fresh admission schedule. And a committee has also been formed under UGC Vice-Chairman to address the migration issue
Q: Why are teachers in DUTA of such regressive mindset? These are the same teachers who never voice opinions against absenteeism.
Vijetha S.N: The issue of absenteeism was raised by the teachers, They have maintained that they are not against change itself but the manner in which it was implemented. Hong-Kong University did the same transcition and it took them seven to nine years of debate and planning before they implemented it. DU took a couple of months and courses were made within a few weeks
Q: Was FYUP better or the three year programme? Will the change effect career prospects?
Vijetha S.N: I dont think so. The FYUP could have given you skills but of a rudimentary character. The three year strcuture in DU gives you an academic edge that is universally respected.
Q: What will be the fate of last year students who thought they have four years and now suddenly everything has turned upside down? The pressure on the students is bound to increase who only have two years now
Vijetha S.N: The project work and foundation courses were taking up most of the time in FYUP. This new scenario will require some extra effort but even with this, it will not be as time consuming as FYUP
Q: Accepting the haste of DU in implementing the FYUP but does that entitle UGC to scrap in haste also?
Anita Joshua: No doubt a mess has been created over the past one year isnt it better to clear up the mess at the earliest. Imagine the situation if three years later the FYUP degrees were declared invalid. That would be four years lost for the kids
Q: Was FYUP expected to create more jobs for ad-hoc professors/ teaching staff? What is the University's vision on creating more permanent teaching positions?
Vijetha S.N: The FYUP added to the increase of ad-hoc's since courses were optional for minor subjects. For example, one department Chemistry could have about 2 applications while commerce would have 200. This way, ad-hocs were hired and fired. There are thousands of teaching positions to be filled in the university, and it has been a constant struggle for it to be filled. The situation is bad.
Q: What are options open for students who take admissions in the last session
Anita Joshua: The UGC has set up a panel -- which includes all stake holders including student body representatives -- to work out the modalities for migration to the three year programme. This would also include helping students complete the three year programme over the next two years. The details are being worked out.
Q: Was UGC sleeping when fyup was introduced ? Why they did not see all these failures when it was introduced? Why now..After wasting 1 yr of students
Anita Joshua: The UGC also has a lot of answering to do. Clearly, last year the UGC was working to the tune of the Congress government and now to the BJP government. Having said that, had the University ensured that all the procedures mandated by the DU Act been followed while introducing the FYUP, then it might have been very difficult for the UGC or the Government to have its way in this fashion.
Q: Don't you think that govt. is playing back door to grasp political ground.
Anita Joshua: This could well be so because the BJP had promised FYUP rollback during its campaign but again it would have been difficult for the Govt to intervene had DU gone through the processes
Q: When will be the du sites updated with their new course structure ?
Vijetha S.N: As we speak, there is a commitee of principals in the university who are working on the modalities of the admission procedure. Admissions are likely to begin on Tuesday. And, by Monday latest you should be having the information. In the meantime, keep reading The Hindu, we will be giving whatever information we have
Q: Why did UGC sent a letter to DU in 2013 upholding its autonomy to decide course content & why is it opposing it now..is it political now? I personally favour 3 years programme though
Anita Joshua: There was politics then and there is politics now. But had DU not ignored some of the process mandated in DU Act for such changes in course structures, then this flip flop may not have happened.
