A section of teachers opposing Delhi University’s four-year undergraduate courses on Thursday went on to garner political support. Prominent figures like Aruna Roy of National Advisory Council (NAC), Prashant Bhushan from Aam Aadmi Party and Communist Party leader Sitaram Yechury joined the protesters against the introduction of the new undergraduate course. Taking a stand against the conversion of three-year degree courses into a four-year programme they expressed their party’s support to the protesters.
Yechury said a call for the motion had been submitted. He said that they would either take up the matter in Parliament or would meet the Prime Minister over the issue.
“It has been 42 years since I studied in the university. The idea with which the university was formed was constitutional. Thus any major changes will require larger consultation. Some sections in the Government are of the view that it is an internal matter of the university. But the matter remains internal only till the internal procedure are followed and if they are not then it goes against the Parliament,” Yechury said. He also added that such changes had an agenda of inviting foreign interference in education but privatisation of education will not be accepted at any cost.
Prashant Bhushan too said that the AAP was in solidarity with the protesters and that it was not a minor change but the change of the entire system. He underlined that he was not against change but any expressed that the institution should have undergone the UGC acts six months prior the announcement. “To my understanding, it has been done in a hurry. The teachers have been informed about the new syllabi just a day before in an Academic Council’s meeting. It just explains the arbitrary decisions that have been taken,” he said.
Another concern raised by Sudha Sundharaman from All India Democratic Women’s Association was about the female student drop-outs which she said would only increase by extending the courses into a four-year programme. “On one hand, we are talking about empowering women while on the other we are developing a system where they have very less chances of sustainability. Our society remains chalenging for women till date, they are expected to study and settle in a certain age but expanding the duration of these courses is indirectly incresing their woes,” she said. Speaking to the public, Aruna Roy said that she would take up the issue in NAC.