Delhi University’s plan to make graduation courses four-year long is stuck in limbo with many conflicts over the proposal.
Many teachers have objected to it and disassociated themselves from the committee that was built for syllabus structuring. However, the authorities say though there are parties dissenting on few things, the course building has been started already and it is unlikely to derail the process.
“There are individuals who have shown objections. It is normal for people to do that, whether openly or secretly. Our work is to bring them to a consensus. The university is like a parliament -- people are free to disagree but the process has not been called off just like that,” said Alka Sharma, the university’s Registrar.
Executive Council member Abha Dev Habib said that she disassociated herself from the committee by set up by the Physics department for syllabus setting not just because there was no general body meeting but it was meaningless “to be part of an arbitrary decision”. “Forget calling us for a meeting, as a teacher the first things I would do is critique the entire four-year undergraduate programme at all levels. We have been ordered just for filling gaps I am yet to meet a teacher who supports this four-year course. Firstly it was criminal to ask us to work under a deadline for such a task. It is a detailed job to form syllabi for students properly otherwise it’s just forced material,” she said.
The course became the centre of controversy from day one of its proposal and received criticism from various student and teacher combines. In a recent meeting among teachers at the Miranda House, they have decided to expand the protest against this programme and launch an online petition. “The voices cannot be suppressed like this. We are very determined to stop this assault on higher education,” Habib added.
The developments are particularly unnerving for aspiring DU students and their parents. “I had apprehensions of following a lengthy process of admissions but now the focus has changed entirely. Concerns of these newly introduced four-year courses are just increasing as the days are coming closer. One of my friends changed his mind already. His son has said he won’t study for a graduate course that runs into four years while other universities have three years for the same course,” said Anuja Saxena, mother of a Class 12th student.