With the Modi Government according Education priority status on its agenda, it is pertinent to understand and (re)visit the concerns raised about the Four Year Undergraduate Programme implemented by the University of Delhi a year ago, more so as a fresh batch readies to enroll itself into the much-debated programme
GROUND REAlITY
In a travel story I once read on Hampi’s ruins, the writer used an Urdu couplet to describe them thus: “Khandar kehti hain ki imaarat kabhi buland thi (The ruins reveal how grand the structure must have been in its time.)” The current ambience in Delhi University reminds one of this couplet as scrutinising voices about its current standing consistently romanticise and evoke images of the University’s past. What is so unsettling about its presentIJ After all, the University has been conducive to myriad academic and extra-curricular pursuits. With its integrated campuses and students coming in from all corners of the country, the University not only enhances the boundaries of knowledge but its campuses too have been hospitable to diverse political dialogues, social camaraderie and have served as a doorway to explore one’s personal growth. Today, however, it stands in a marked contrast to what it was a few years ago. Delhi University now offers undergraduate programmes of four years duration (the Four Year Undergraduate Programme or FYUP) with multiple exit points — a diploma after two years, a baccalaureate after three and a baccalaureate with honours after the completion of four years — to bring it on par with the American model of education and broaden placement facilities. And yet, one trip around the campus, and the condemning voices of dissent and large protests by several student and teacher bodies are inescapable; an online search reveals countless pieces written on the “collapse” of the University of Delhi; legal notices are served at the drop of a hat and innumerable clauses come attendant with endless don’ts for teachers. What has led this furoreIJ
BONE OF CONTENTION
Amitava Chakraborty, Associate Professor of Bengali and a member of the DU Academic Council, explains, “We need to understand that the current nihilistic state of protests is at the backdrop of state-funded education. Constitutionally, the state took the responsibility of educating but it all changed 10 years back when the NDA came to power. A committee called the Birla-Ambani Committee was set up. When the UPA came to power, for the 12th Plan Period, the document for education was drafted by Sam Pitroda. This whole thing is related to the process of liberalisation leading to the privatisation of the sector. Something like Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher tried in America in the 1980s. Basically, it’s a clash of ideas. One group believes that our needs should be supported by the state. look around, we have reached a point when nobody visits a Government hospital or wishes to enroll in a Government school. We believe that the Government should uplift these facilities because they are run by the taxpayers’ money. On the other hand, the other group believes that it should be a part of a profit-making investment. These Governmental zones of education are officially proposed to be privatised but that would only make the processes very expensive and inaccessible to many.”
After the end of World War II, Communism spread like wildfire, which liberal democracies with social schemes and reforms like, say, pension, sought to contain. It is however not just ironic but also curious in the case of DU. Thousands of teaching posts have been lying vacant and a large number of adhoc posts are active. Unlike a tenured appointment, adhoc posts do not bind the University to allot them facilities like maternity leave, medical benefit, pension, quarter, study leave, the works. This takes one back to the report that higher education reform didn’t come to India through a change in Parliament. When the UPA II came to power, there were reportedly six educational Bills in the pipeline but because of the rejection of the Standing Committee and the lack of a two-third majority, they were never presented in Parliament for voting.
Chakraborty continues, “The Bills are anti-state, with their policies of FDI in Education, PPP model in Education, and so on. Now the Government is trying to push them through the backdoor since it didn’t happen through Parliament. This would lead to increase in tuition fees, fire-and-hire methods and differential pay scales among the service providers. Many students will not be able to pay hiked fees prompting the University to apply for bank loans and thus it will become a cycle of privatisation. In this bid to ‘Westernise’ the education model, one forgets that Harvard, Oxford or Cambridge do not follow modules and terms in such a manner.”
Nandita Narain, President of the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA), says that these issues have not been discussed with Vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh, “Prof Singh has not interacted with the DUTA for a single time ever since he claimed office in 2010”. She bluntly asserts, “We are after all elected members of the teachers’ association. At the core, we want the FYUP and the semester system to be rolled back.”
HOW IT AFFECTS ACADEMIA
Vinita Chandra, Associate Professor of English in Ramjas College details, “For appropriate syllabi to be formed in the university level, it takes six to seven years of brainstorming, entailing meticulous and democratic reasoning. But here everything has been done in such a hurry that syllabi have been cut in half. A student reads a text in one semester but follows the background companion to said text in another. It’s all haphazard. Most of us who are dissenting were not invited when the courses were being designed. For instance, they would call a meeting in November or December and the syllabus has to be ready by March. In order to match up to the fast paced system, we have to compromise a lot on the quality of teaching. There is no time for strategies; we scrapped writing workshops and no student is required to write assignments throughout the term. In the FYUP mode, there are so many compulsory Foundation Courses (FC) that in one term students would end up with only eight classes of their own discipline (English, as in this case). Why does an English literature student have to read about photosynthesis in the college levelIJ It’s covered in school!”
The University authorities however argue that the FCs help all-round development of students and make them employable in various industries. Speaking of employment, the marks students have been scoring of late are high and it was reported a while back that Delhi University has seen a tremendous rise in its employment statistics.
However there is a counter view to it as well. Narain says, “Not marks alone, but seminars, interactions and assignments evaluate students’ real progress. If you go by the current examination system and scores, there is no confidentiality. Three people will check the same answer sheet in parts, sometimes they would send a handwritten question paper to the exam hall and re-evaluation facilities have been negated. Not only has content been compromised but the credibility of the exams has dissolved.”
Chandra adds, “In English, there would be a few students in the entire University who would score a 60 per cent but now dozens in the same batch could easily get such marks. It devalues and takes away a lot from the bright students of the previous batches. Also, there were so many failures in one semester but in the second, the marks were obnoxiously inflated. A student of economics said she had not attempted the complete questionnaire and yet managed to score in 70s. When these allegations started doing the rounds, the University stopped putting up the marks on the website and notice boards, and can now only be accessed by inserting a lot of details (like one’s date of birth etc) on the site. Also, you are promoted to the next semester even if you fail your current one, but you’ll have to repeat the failed semester when you reach your third semester. So a student then has to study and write exams for two semesters (the first and third) simultaneously. Imagine the workload, who suffersIJ”
STATE OF INFRASTRUCTURE
Academic Council member, Abha Dev Habib says, “It is unfortunate the way the semester mode as well as the FYUP has been bulldozed. There has to be an indepth critique of a system to understand what is lacking. In Miranda House for example, out of 1000 students, say, 500-700 choose to continue till the fourth year, do we have the infrastructure to accommodate themIJ As per a letter from the Registrar dated April 13, 2013, the number of teachers cannot exceed after the OBC expansion. So basically, the number of teachers remains the same but the workload multiplies. If there are 12 courses in a semester, 8 of them would just be FCs. It’s a mess.”
However, it is also true that the University has come up with innovative ideas such as the University on Wheels (Gyanodaya express) or student panchayats. But the dissenting group is quick to dismiss it as “publicity gimmicks.” Chandra adds, “The rooms are so small that one can hardly breathe. After the OBC expansion, number of students’ intake in a class increased but the size of the classroom stayed the same. Also, students have no time to focus on extracurricular activities. We try to focus more on the poor students because it is they who suffer the most.”
WHAT THE STUDENTS SAY
A university, or rather, the campus, is the space where a fresh school pass-out constructs a nascent worldview from a different perspective. Notions are unlearned and relearned and students are trained to build their own foothold. Delhi University has always been that forum for many. The State secretary for the All India Students Association (AISA), Sunny Kumar, says, “At 17 or 18, a student of course does not have much stake in both academic and political operations. Most of us are simply patronising the authorities. But it’s a matter of time when this changes. They are exposed to critiques, discourses, obligations as well as continuous protests, both through the real world as well as through the social networking sites.” However, in the context of the FYUP, almost all of the student bodies in the University have been vocal about their disapproval of the mode. In the last elections in the University, to scrap the current module has been a part of the parties’ manifestos. As it is, there is no official mechanism in the University to gather the students’ opinions, but on August 22, 2013, after exactly a month of the FYUP having started, an AISA referendum was met with strong responses. Kumar continues, “Around 11,500 students participated and 10,600 disapproved of the FYUP, and that’s a huge 91 per cent! If you notice, students have started coming out on their own to collaborate in the agitation. They understand that this impacts higher education in the whole of India. The Government knows our plight, the former Prime Minister, Pallam Raju, the Gandhis, have all been approached for it and I have personally met Ahmed Patel, but they are still inactive about it. Of the many reasons for the collapse of the Congress in Delhi, this was one of them. These courses are market-driven and mechanical. In a university like, say, Sharda, a proper Humanities course does not exist. We need critical mindsets; history, civics, literature, sciences et al undergo new innovations and are timeless disciplines. Is it just enough to produce students to merely make them employable for BPOs and call centresIJ”
UNIVERSITY’S RATIONAlE
Even as the four-year programme debate rages on in academic circles, the story is incomplete without recording the University authorities’ rationale behind the move. The Media Coordinator, Dr Malay Neerav, Associate Professor of History at St Stephen’s College, who is also the Joint Dean of Student Welfare and the Convenor of Students Empowering Committee had this to offer:
“There have been unnecessary allegations and many lies are being spun around the whole issue. In January this year, after the first semester was over, the Student Empowerment Committee visited 40 colleges and interacted with the students extensively. In fact, in the second phase of such visits, students were given feedback forms as well. More than 6,700 students responded with tremendously positive views about the FYUP. We needed a change, didn’t weIJ In the FYUP, particularly in the Foundation Courses, students are pursuing numerous courses other than their own. It contributes to their all-round development. Their knowledge has expanded and the class presentations have improved their communication skills. Their gender awareness has improved magnificently as well.” One of the oft-repeated arguments in favour of the FYUP is that it offers multiple exit points for a student. Neerav recalls, “In Bhagini Nivedita College, a girl recounted that she could not complete her studies since she got married. Post-wedding she was eager to finish the remaining part of her graduation. The FYUP allows one to graduate with a diploma in two years. She had tears in her eyes and was thankful about it. You see, I did not even know that a college by that name even existed. I admit that in a Stephen’s or a Miranda, people don’t view it under such a lens. One needs to move out to the off-campus faraway locations to understand how helpful the FYUP has been. I don’t know if I should say this, but the difference in opinions correspond to the socio-economic and geographical disposition of the students as well.” Neerav also brushes aside allegations that teachers were not given due opportunities to form the syllabi. “Much wide consultation was held while designing the syllabi. Earlier they were designed by the professors in the post-graduate departments but were taught by the ones in the under-graduate departments. This time, the college teachers were stake-holders in forming syllabi which they would themselves teach. What is unfortunate is that there have been large complaints from students about cancellation of classes. 70 per cent of the colleges have reported teachers cancelling classes calling them pointless. Is it fair for a teacher to do soIJ”
He further explains how the FCs are supposed to ensure all-round development in students, “Suppose I give a topic — Monsoon — and ask a student to write about it. Now this could cover a range of disciplines. Monsoon in literature, films, agriculture, science in terms of evaporation during monsoon, finance when viewed from the perspective of the budget policies, math and geography in case of how much rain has been covered in which areas and so on.”
Contrary to claims, the Vice Chancellor is also said to have met many teachers. Neerav clarifies, “The Vice Chancellor has met several teachers and has formed a task force to handle the University matters. This year, we have also given away the Teachers Excellence Awards to motivate the teachers. And not only that, in the case of infrastructure, after the OBC expansion, the number of students in a class has increased and so infrastructure is being built in many colleges. To enable IT-based learning, we have given away laptops to students as well as provided projectors in classrooms. You have to see the beam on the faces of the poor students when they receive the laptops.”
SOlUTIONS POSED
The Dalai lama once said, “If there is no solution to a problem, then don’t waste time worrying about it.” Applying it to a university would be self-defeating and a paradox because for a university to enlighten students, problematising becomes a crucial factor. And what is more important is that solutions to said problems being posed instead of dwelling upon perpetual speculations. The Delhi University authorities have designed a teachers’ training committee to reform the educational crises. In order to ensure timely evaluation of the teachers as well as help them connect with the students better, this training is conducted at the Centre for Vocational Development in Higher Education. The Deputy Director Dr Vijay lakshmi says, “Here we train teachers in all the important aspects from their general upgradation to their promotions. We also discuss how to teach the FCs.” On matters relating to evaluation methods, she says, “last year, we had a course on evaluation methodology. We are experimenting and creating new methods everyday and figuring out how to be more creative and innovative. last year there were around 1800 teachers participating.”
But then there is always the expostulation about the means-end dilemma. The motive could be honourable but there is also a right way of doing it, or at least any way that has a justification. The groups that dissent against the university authorities call it all “farcical”. “We all want feasibility, innovation and newer accomplishments, but not by methods that are ridiculous and useless. We want national surveys and a fair debate in Parliament on the FYUP. We will continue our agitation and appeal to the new Government”, emphasises Habib. Chandra adds, “We need to go back to the annual mode. There is neither space allowed to protest in the university nor space provided to accommodate the students in the classrooms. We need larger rooms so that students no longer have to sit on floors.”
As a new Government takes over the responsibilities of the state, a fresh batch of teenagers too would be joining the University for a better future. Both need to be aware of the existing dynamics before a plunge is taken.
The writer can be reached at ananyapioneer@gmail.com
In an interview with The Pioneer dated July 14, 2013, DU Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh had the following perspectives on the FYUP. Excerpts:
What was the reaction of students when you initiated the process of FYUPIJ
First, I called up the meeting of teachers, almost a thousand of them. Then students were invited who numbered no less than 4,000, and we took feedback from them. Thereafter, I began to meet students in smaller groups. I went to several colleges. This is when I encountered students of Sanskrit at Hansraj College. We had an extensive discussion. I asked them whether they liked Sanskrit. They said, yes. Then, I asked them, “Would you like something else in additionIJ” And they said, “Yes, of course. If we get a chance, we would.” I spoke to about 800 students of Sanskrit. Roughly, one-third of them said they would like to study Mathematics, a third said Computer Science and almost the same number said Political Science. These three disciplines have a natural connection with Sanskrit. If you look at Chanakya’s Arthashastra, it’s all about Political Science; here you will also find the significance of Mathematics.
Tell us about your preparation.
We have oriented more than 500 teachers for the Foundation Course. Our teachers are highly enthused, as the teaching methodologies are changing. They will have group activities with students. The process of appointments of teachers has also started as per the UGC recommendations. When the FYUP was approved in December by the Academic Council, our college deans sat with principals and for each college the workload was worked out.
Implementing FYUP was not an easy task. There were pulls and pressures. There was, however, a lot of support from the Academic Council when we came with the proposal. We had, of course, a great deal of consultation. First, we met in large groups with teachers and students. Then we set up a task force of 61 members for FYUP. It included some heads of departments, principals, college teachers, members of the Academic Council, and it was chaired by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor. It met for two months and gave its recommendation on the structure of the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme and that’s what we took to the Academic Council. So, the Academic Council was fully apprised of what was happening. And it voted almost unanimously; there were just six dissenters — 87 to six.
We have created a centralised infrastructure support committee. It is headed by a former Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development. It looks after the ways and means in which all our colleges are brought into the programme. There is no dearth of funds, but the challenge is to ensure that the infrastructure is created. The second aspect is IT infrastructure. We are working hard on that front and there are task forces working on it.
Our biggest challenge is to improve our bandwidth. Colleges are served with 4 MB, while the National Knowledge Network has 1,000 MB. We are, therefore, working towards creating a better connect between the two. More than 20 colleges have lCD projectors and laptops in classrooms. Today I can sit in my office and talk to students and give lectures.
During the OBC expansion crores of rupees from UGC were disbursed to colleges, yet most of them faced disapprovals from authorities like DDA. Worse, it would take at least three to six years for DU to get approvals from the fire department, Delhi Jal Board, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, etc. How do you think will the infrastructure come up post-FYUPIJ
The money received during the OBC expansion is in the process of utilisation by most colleges. Some like lady Shri Ram College, Maitreyi College and Jesus and Mary College have built excellent infrastructure. I am so confident because a Parliamentary Committee of the Ministry of Human Resource and Development is monitoring the entire process. People like senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandes are part of it. As far as research is concerned, we are doing quite well. Our parameters are strong; in fact, to be honest, we are better in research than most IITs. Also, our humanity researchers are doing well. They have come up with interesting findings. One group of students of History and Economics of Shyam lal College (Evening) recently worked on street bazaars of Delhi. History students found out how these bazaars were established in Chandni Chowk. Then, there is a group working on how power can be generated by wind pushed into the tunnel of the metro train. Another group has identified a few plants that can be used for treating HIV and cancer. DU will be taking out patents and six patents would be released in the first lot. It’s undergraduates who are doing most of these researches through a recognisable formal procedure.
I believe infrastructure is not the factor. I will give you an example of Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences. It is not an old college like St Stephen’s, but it has similar infrastructure and the process of appointing teachers is same. The Electronics topper last year was from Motilal Nehru College, and the Physics topper was from Deshbandhu College. These colleges are coming up rapidly; there is a new but good college adjacent to Deshbandhu, Ramanujan College. Deshbandhu itself is doing well. Its Science courses are much sought after. So, things are changing and excellence isn’t confined to a few colleges now. The reason is simple: Infrastructure, awareness and quality and commitment of both students and teachers are bringing in the much-needed change. DU will soon be recognised globally.