The deadlock between the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Delhi University over the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) continues as the university on Thursday ignored the UGC’s directive and sent it a proposal suggested by academicians to resolve the issue. The UGC Standing Committee meeting which was supposed to take place at 5 pm to discuss the proposal, was cancelled.
While this has again put admissions in limbo, the situation is now likely to get murkier with sources from the UGC saying that the proposal sent by the DU does not comply with its directive.
DU on Thursday morning sent the proposal, which was a reply to a letter sent to the university on Wednesday evening asking for an immediate commencement of admissions. The proposal, which seeks to allow students to graduate in three years with minor changes in the four-year pattern, was suggested by an expert panel of principals, scientists and vice chancellors of other universities. “A letter was received from UGC late evening and a reply was sent this morning. The reply says that the university is actively considering the proposal received from eminent citizens. The proposal draws upon existing and approved courses to supplement pre-FYUP courses. This means that some old courses like BA, BSc and BCom will be converted into three-year Honours courses,” said Malay Neerav, Joint Dean Students’ Welfare and media coordinator during a Press briefing.
According to the university, a middle path is being considered in order to reduce time for reinventing and adopting the old undergraduate courses that existed before FYUP. “Since a new Ordinance was made for FYUP, the old courses were made null and void. So, to bring back the exact old programmes, a meeting of the committee of courses and all the statutory bodies like the Academic Council and the Executive Council will have to be held. However, with this formula of keeping existing courses and making the programme a three year honours one there will be no need to hold these statutory meetings as the courses are already approved. Thus, a lot of time will be saved and admissions can start soon. The university is taking care of the situation where admissions are being delayed.
This is a blended proposal which will show the necessary way forward,” said Neerav.
The UGC had also proposed changes in its first standing committee meeting on Monday. Neerav informed that this proposal sent by DU is mixture of the UGC’s and the university’s proposal. If the UGC approves this proposal, there will be no need for fresh registrations. “We have proposed to conduct admissions under the three year undergraduate programme (TYUP) with Honours which will obviate the need for fresh registrations as all the students can be accommodated within this course,” he explained.
The ball has now been put in the UGC’s court as the university is awaiting the response of UGC to have the Academic Council meeting to approve the proposal and commence admissions. However, sources have revealed that the UGC is likely to reject this proposal. “This proposal is the same as FYUP without the fourth year. The foundation courses will remain and students will get to do 17 Discipline-I papers. This is nowhere close to the earlier Three-Year Undergraduate Programme where students had options to choose the papers they want to do as DC-I along with two compulsory languages. Additionally, the UGC ordered DU to go back to the old programme in totality and this proposal violates that,” said a source.
Admissions are, however, still stalled. The admissions can only start when the UGC meets which is not yet defined. Sources say that a decision might be taken on Friday. However, if the UGC says a no, the university has nothing planned. “We will cross the bridge when it comes,” said Neerav.