There is an ongoing face off between the University Grants Commission, a statutory organization responsible for co-ordination, determination and maintenance of standards of education as well of disbursal of funds for universities in the country, on the one hand, and the Delhi University, India’s first among equals university, on the other, on the issue of Delhi University’s recently (Last year) introduced four year honors degree programme.
While the Delhi University has voted to continue with the programme started last year, the UGC which was silent when it was introduced has woken up and threatened the DU with consequences if it refuses to follow its diktat - revert to the original 3 year degree. Officials said disobeying the UGC direction could spell trouble for Delhi University as it could stand to lose grants and degrees offered by the university could be de-recognized. This change of heart in the UGC has come about simultaneously with the change of Government or so it seems.
The UGC has constituted a ten-member standing committee headed by the UGC vice chairman with representatives from the academic and executive councils of DU, Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA), Delhi University Students Union (DUSU), college principals and teachers to advise the varsity on change-over. This committee would ensure that students, who were admitted in 2013-14, are able to migrate to the three-year programme, without any hassle and acquire necessary academic and other competencies during the next two academic years, it said.
Defying the UGC diktat, the DU's Academic Council passed a resolution, saying students seeking admission to undergraduate programmes would be admitted in three-year Bachelor's Programme (B.A/B.SC/B.Com) in their Discipline 1 (major subject) and would graduate with the corresponding degree on three years in conformity with NPE ( a major criticism of the programme), a university statement said. The resolution, which was passed with 81 votes in favor and 10 against, further said the fourth year is an optional year for those students who wish to obtain a B.A Honors’/B.SC Honors’/B.Com Honors’ or B.Tech degree. Critics of the programme, however, said the changes were "superficial" as the structure and the programme remained the same and it was all a play of words.
The faceoff has left the students in the lurch, with the university’s major colleges like St. Stephens, deferring their admission list announcements.
The History and Consequence of the Four year degree Programme:
Delhi University’s ambitious four-year undergraduate programme became a reality last academic year with the Executive Council approving all the courses, examination schemes and amendments to university ordinances that were required to introduce the new structure. With this change, that went against the 1986 all India higher education policy pattern of 10 + 2+3, the DU had specially tried to “modify the curriculum, mode of instruction and assessment patterns to address the special needs of students with disability. We have already embarked on the process of working out these modalities,” is what the DU Registrar Alka Sharma said last year.
There were 2 dissents among the 21 members present and voting in the Executive Council meeting which approved the changes last year. This indicated near unanimity. The dissenting members were apparently keen on further discussion on some items on the agenda, however it appears that it was rammed through as the meeting took a mere 3 and half hours. This came on the heels of six members of the Academic Council dissenting on a variety of matters - the making of the syllabus, and constitution of syllabus committees.
The major change from the three year programme is this: from July of last year, the undergraduate programme shifted from the universal (within India) three-year degree programme to a four-year one, with no more B.A.s or B.Sc.s’ Instead, multiple degrees were offered within a single stream: Associate Baccalaureate (after 2 years), Baccalaureate (3 years), and Baccalaureate with Honors’ (4 years).
The other important change that was envisaged: Whatever the previous training or choice of subject, all students are compelled to take 11 foundation courses, which are designed to occupy most of their time in the first two years. These include two courses on “Language, Literature and Creativity” (one in English and the other in Hindi or another Modern Indian Language), “Information Technology,” “Business, Entrepreneurship and Management,” “Governance and Citizenship,” “Psychology, Communication and Life Skills,” “Geographic and Socio-economic Diversity,” “Science and Life,” “History, Culture and Civilization,” “Building Mathematical Ability” and “Environment and Public Health.”. These foundation courses were supposed to be basic information systems, to enable those without a background in any of these subjects to easily understand the subject.
The Degrees awarded too would be changed and follow the international undergraduate pattern – It would provide a baccalaureate degree at various stages of learning - after two years, students who have done mostly these courses and five others in some disciplines can leave with an “Associate Baccalaureate” degree which would convert drop outs into certified and qualified individuals, with a basic skill to seek placement in India’s job market, while others went to earn their Degrees and Honors Degrees which would essentially mean they were individuals specialized in a discipline a.k.a a B. Tech or B.E degree. The Question is who would recognize a two year degree, both from the academic or employment point of view? What kind of jobs would be available?
The full four-year programme contains 20 courses in a “major” discipline, six courses in a “minor” discipline, five courses in “Application” (which are supposed to be “skill-based courses that enable employability for students, and six courses devoted to “Cultural Activities.” The choice is limited to the majors and the minors. The rest is inflexible.
The objectives of the change included prevention of degreeless drop outs and providing depth to the course of study, for those who needed it (Honors Degree). It also aimed to make graduates employable through the compulsory application of compulsory foundation courses in the first two years as well as some non credit courses during later years.
Criticism:
After one semester, the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) asked the staff associations of various DU colleges to provide feedback regarding the new system. A total of 47 responses came in and it was found that 44 colleges voted against the FYUP. The three institutions supporting FYUP were Kalindi College, Maharaja Agrasen College and Ram Lal Anand College (Morning).
The Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) along with several student organizations such as NSUI and ABVP has been demanding immediate roll back of the FYUP and the VC, Dinesh Singh's resignation. BJP had during the elections promised to scrap the FYUP if it comes to power.
At its full commission meeting on June 13, significantly, after the new government took over, the UGC had asked Delhi University to review the programme as it felt that it was in violation of the national policy on education which follows the 10-plus 2-plus 3 pattern. The Delhi University, however, stood by the programme and in a reply to the commission has maintained that it has followed due procedure. The varsity on Sunday said it had revised the programme to make it compliant with the National Policy on Education (NPE).
Obviously the changeover was done in a hurry and the basics were not addressed or glossed over while the syllabus and methodology were formulated. All stake holders who were opposed to the changeover were ignored or suppressed leading to the current impasse.
Positives:
It does seem that the objectives of the change over which included, preventing drop outs, and preparing students to serve industry better, are better served by a four year degree, in line with B.Tech degrees and international practices than a three year degree, which offers no in between options and no specialization or in depth knowledge at the end of three years. It also promises to make students more employable through its pedagogical changes and more adaptable to the changing employment market. Deficiencies like marking systems and the language policy, teacher workloads and competence, will have to be ironed out though.
A four-year degree programme will also enable students to apply for a master's degree in countries like the US that usually don't accept students with three-year degrees. Other Indian universities are also joining the league and going beyond the National policy of education - the 10+2+3 concept. Bangalore University had replaced its three-year B.Sc. degree with a four-year B.S. programme in 2011. And it plans to extend this change to the rest of the courses in the next academic year. Officials from the university recently visited the DU campus for this purpose. Although the current B.S. programme conducted by Bangalore University has interdisciplinary courses in subjects such as Language, Environment and IT, its evaluation process focuses more on the theoretical aspects, with 80 marks set apart for a theory paper. The Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore also offers a four-year programme in Science, with an emphasis on research in the final year.
Conclusion:
It’s unlikely that the DU will be able to withstand the might of the Government and the UGC, and will have to revert to a three year degree course, maybe in the circumstances, it is for the best, for it will serve to remove uncertainty for the students. The Four year degree course should however be debated at length and perhaps introduced all over the country from the next academic year as it retains its academic value as an emerging and necessary concept in Indian higher education.
Newskarnataka Link
While the Delhi University has voted to continue with the programme started last year, the UGC which was silent when it was introduced has woken up and threatened the DU with consequences if it refuses to follow its diktat - revert to the original 3 year degree. Officials said disobeying the UGC direction could spell trouble for Delhi University as it could stand to lose grants and degrees offered by the university could be de-recognized. This change of heart in the UGC has come about simultaneously with the change of Government or so it seems. The UGC has constituted a ten-member standing committee headed by the UGC vice chairman with representatives from the academic and executive councils of DU, Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA), Delhi University Students Union (DUSU), college principals and teachers to advise the varsity on change-over. This committee would ensure that students, who were admitted in 2013-14, are able to migrate to the three-year programme, without any hassle and acquire necessary academic and other competencies during the next two academic years, it said.
Defying the UGC diktat, the DU's Academic Council passed a resolution, saying students seeking admission to undergraduate programmes would be admitted in three-year Bachelor's Programme (B.A/B.SC/B.Com) in their Discipline 1 (major subject) and would graduate with the corresponding degree on three years in conformity with NPE ( a major criticism of the programme), a university statement said. The resolution, which was passed with 81 votes in favor and 10 against, further said the fourth year is an optional year for those students who wish to obtain a B.A Honors’/B.SC Honors’/B.Com Honors’ or B.Tech degree. Critics of the programme, however, said the changes were "superficial" as the structure and the programme remained the same and it was all a play of words. The faceoff has left the students in the lurch, with the university’s major colleges like St. Stephens, deferring their admission list announcements.
The History and Consequence of the Four year degree Programme:
Delhi University’s ambitious four-year undergraduate programme became a reality last academic year with the Executive Council approving all the courses, examination schemes and amendments to university ordinances that were required to introduce the new structure. With this change, that went against the 1986 all India higher education policy pattern of 10 + 2+3, the DU had specially tried to “modify the curriculum, mode of instruction and assessment patterns to address the special needs of students with disability. We have already embarked on the process of working out these modalities,” is what the DU Registrar Alka Sharma said last year.
There were 2 dissents among the 21 members present and voting in the Executive Council meeting which approved the changes last year. This indicated near unanimity. The dissenting members were apparently keen on further discussion on some items on the agenda, however it appears that it was rammed through as the meeting took a mere 3 and half hours. This came on the heels of six members of the Academic Council dissenting on a variety of matters - the making of the syllabus, and constitution of syllabus committees.The major change from the three year programme is this: from July of last year, the undergraduate programme shifted from the universal (within India) three-year degree programme to a four-year one, with no more B.A.s or B.Sc.s’ Instead, multiple degrees were offered within a single stream: Associate Baccalaureate (after 2 years), Baccalaureate (3 years), and Baccalaureate with Honors’ (4 years).
The other important change that was envisaged: Whatever the previous training or choice of subject, all students are compelled to take 11 foundation courses, which are designed to occupy most of their time in the first two years. These include two courses on “Language, Literature and Creativity” (one in English and the other in Hindi or another Modern Indian Language), “Information Technology,” “Business, Entrepreneurship and Management,” “Governance and Citizenship,” “Psychology, Communication and Life Skills,” “Geographic and Socio-economic Diversity,” “Science and Life,” “History, Culture and Civilization,” “Building Mathematical Ability” and “Environment and Public Health.”. These foundation courses were supposed to be basic information systems, to enable those without a background in any of these subjects to easily understand the subject.
The Degrees awarded too would be changed and follow the international undergraduate pattern – It would provide a baccalaureate degree at various stages of learning - after two years, students who have done mostly these courses and five others in some disciplines can leave with an “Associate Baccalaureate” degree which would convert drop outs into certified and qualified individuals, with a basic skill to seek placement in India’s job market, while others went to earn their Degrees and Honors Degrees which would essentially mean they were individuals specialized in a discipline a.k.a a B. Tech or B.E degree. The Question is who would recognize a two year degree, both from the academic or employment point of view? What kind of jobs would be available? The full four-year programme contains 20 courses in a “major” discipline, six courses in a “minor” discipline, five courses in “Application” (which are supposed to be “skill-based courses that enable employability for students, and six courses devoted to “Cultural Activities.” The choice is limited to the majors and the minors. The rest is inflexible.
The objectives of the change included prevention of degreeless drop outs and providing depth to the course of study, for those who needed it (Honors Degree). It also aimed to make graduates employable through the compulsory application of compulsory foundation courses in the first two years as well as some non credit courses during later years.
Criticism:After one semester, the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) asked the staff associations of various DU colleges to provide feedback regarding the new system. A total of 47 responses came in and it was found that 44 colleges voted against the FYUP. The three institutions supporting FYUP were Kalindi College, Maharaja Agrasen College and Ram Lal Anand College (Morning).
The Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) along with several student organizations such as NSUI and ABVP has been demanding immediate roll back of the FYUP and the VC, Dinesh Singh's resignation. BJP had during the elections promised to scrap the FYUP if it comes to power.
At its full commission meeting on June 13, significantly, after the new government took over, the UGC had asked Delhi University to review the programme as it felt that it was in violation of the national policy on education which follows the 10-plus 2-plus 3 pattern. The Delhi University, however, stood by the programme and in a reply to the commission has maintained that it has followed due procedure. The varsity on Sunday said it had revised the programme to make it compliant with the National Policy on Education (NPE).
Obviously the changeover was done in a hurry and the basics were not addressed or glossed over while the syllabus and methodology were formulated. All stake holders who were opposed to the changeover were ignored or suppressed leading to the current impasse.
Positives:
It does seem that the objectives of the change over which included, preventing drop outs, and preparing students to serve industry better, are better served by a four year degree, in line with B.Tech degrees and international practices than a three year degree, which offers no in between options and no specialization or in depth knowledge at the end of three years. It also promises to make students more employable through its pedagogical changes and more adaptable to the changing employment market. Deficiencies like marking systems and the language policy, teacher workloads and competence, will have to be ironed out though.
A four-year degree programme will also enable students to apply for a master's degree in countries like the US that usually don't accept students with three-year degrees. Other Indian universities are also joining the league and going beyond the National policy of education - the 10+2+3 concept. Bangalore University had replaced its three-year B.Sc. degree with a four-year B.S. programme in 2011. And it plans to extend this change to the rest of the courses in the next academic year. Officials from the university recently visited the DU campus for this purpose. Although the current B.S. programme conducted by Bangalore University has interdisciplinary courses in subjects such as Language, Environment and IT, its evaluation process focuses more on the theoretical aspects, with 80 marks set apart for a theory paper. The Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore also offers a four-year programme in Science, with an emphasis on research in the final year.
Conclusion:
It’s unlikely that the DU will be able to withstand the might of the Government and the UGC, and will have to revert to a three year degree course, maybe in the circumstances, it is for the best, for it will serve to remove uncertainty for the students. The Four year degree course should however be debated at length and perhaps introduced all over the country from the next academic year as it retains its academic value as an emerging and necessary concept in Indian higher education.
Newskarnataka Link
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