As University of Delhi gears up to adopt a new undergraduate programme for students who have joined the degree course this year, Vice-Chancellor Dinesh Singh tells Rahiba R Parveen why it was so necessary for him to introduce the course this session. Also present during the interview were Parvez Sultan, Chief Reporter,Amit Goel, Associate Editor, and Chandan Mitra, Editor-in-Chief
Come July 24, University of Delhi (DU) will introduce its Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) for students who have joined the first-year degree course this year. As per the new curriculum proposed by DU’s Vice-Chancellor Dinesh Singh, students will now be required to take 11 foundation courses and two discipline courses, one being what they major in. These additional courses, apart from imparting holistic knowledge to improvise on skills and value building, will open doors for students seeking higher education abroad in countries like the US and the UK where 16 years (10+2+4) of formal education is a pre-requisite to get into a Master’s programme. While talking to Agenda, Singh speaks on a host of issues ranging from higher education and research to how Sanskrit and Mathematics are interlinked. Excerpts:
The FYUP has been implemented despite vigorous opposition from certain quarters.
Do you feel relievedIJ
In some ways it feels good, but it’s only half the battle won; the other half is to ensure that it is implemented well. So, we have to see that the teaching methodology and the architecture of the programme are implemented well. We want our students to have what is called experiential or hands-on learning.
Why do you think this change was neededIJ
Recently, I came across an excellent article by Rabindranath Tagore, where he talked about how our education system had become blackboard-oriented. Suggesting a way out, he said: “The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence.” I find that our education system has today severely compromised the business of understanding and connecting with the world. We needed to correct this anomaly.
We have seen that many students who are interested in, say, history and want the Honours degree in this subject, don’t get admission in DU. Most of them get shunted into the BA Pass course. Now, in this four-year programme, every student will get a much larger chance of getting an Honours degree in the subject that she/he has displayed interest and ability at the school level. Second, apart from your Honours discipline, you will have to face a set of foundation courses. This will prepare you well for the challenges ahead in your life.
Keeping this objective in mind, I initiated the process of meeting teachers in groups of 50 to 60 from different colleges and almost all of them said that we needed to change our curriculum. While some immediately reiterated the need to introduce a four-year programme, others said that the system had to be changed if we were to remain at par with the rest of the world. “Our students are not deriving benefits as much as they can,” they said.
After a series of meetings, I realised that the change was the need of the hour. Soon we announced the meeting of the Academic Council, which was attended by about 1,200 teachers and a clear cut recommendation emerged — that there was a need for FYUP. I am told that about 400 students also attended the council. This had never happened before and these students wanted to give their recommendations. They were equally excited.
You have made your colleagues work rigorously for this change. We are told that the Academic Council meeting ran well past midnight...
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.
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 were invited students 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. That is our focus first. 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. We began working on the workload much before the main process started. 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.
How do you plan to institutionalise the programmeIJ
This is the reason why I insisted on implementing FYUP this year. There were suggestions from important quarters to postpone it for a year, but I have very little time after that. Right now I have almost two-and-a-half years. So, I have the time to institutionalise this programme by doing it three times over the period. Also, there is an internal monitoring mechanism that will look at it to ensure the institutional process goes well.
What more have you plannedIJ
The entire programme needs good infrastructure. Sufficient space will be required. We must remember that the need for space will largely emerge in the fourth year. Till then there is no need because the number of students will remain the same. In addition to this, 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. Believe me, this infrastructure will be in place by mid-August.
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.
Please explain it further.
Suppose, you are pursuing a course in Political Science, and you have something to say or attend a guest lecture, we can immediately connect you to that lecture from all colleges in all classrooms. It gets recorded and digitally stored. It can be played back and students can access it anytime. All our teachings can be put up on the Web.
You have said that FYUP has come in order to increase the employability of students. But apart from employability, is it going to keep the DU’s academic standards highIJ
There are three aspects of FYUP. As you know, you can exit the course in two years, three years and four years. The third year exit is a much stronger degree than our earlier BA programme degree. It’s a bachelor with a major. It is much better than the three-year degree that other universities award.
Unfortunately, everybody focusses on the fourth year, which is for the Honours. There are three categories of courses — the Foundation Course, the Application Course and the Honours Course. The Honours Course has been framed by the respective departments according to the constitution. There is no change except when one could improve the curriculum. And why criticise changeIJ In some departments, there have been no changes in the past 30 years. There should not be any obsession with the status quo.
Sadly, it’s people from outside who are attacking our courses. They are unmindful of the stature of the people involved with the programme. It hurts me the most to see people talk as if there are only incompetent people at DU. They forget that the finest faculty in the country has been associated with this programme.
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. largely, the need will arise in the fourth year, but I am hopeful that the infrastructural work will come up within a year. 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. Our own committees, too, are keeping a close watch. I am confident we will get through this.
How important will it be for other universities to adopt FYUPIJ
They are wise and capable, and it is up to them to take up any initiative. We would be happy to share our experience and, in the process, we would like to learn from them. Many universities are doing well. Incidentally, eight to 10 universities already have the four-year programme in place.
When can we expect a Nobel laureate from DUIJ
Someone will get it soon. The university is moving in the right direction. We have been consistently ranked No 1 in the country for the past three years. We have been making consistent efforts to improve ourselves further. We will tweak our presentations, Web maintenance and our appointments in such a manner that our world ranking rises up too. Of course, we don’t have good strength of international students but we are going to increase them. We will build a good faculty; visiting faculty will be encouraged to come from all parts of the world.
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. Here science research is conducted in a better way than what can be found in prominent institutions like Indian Institute of Science, IIT-Kanpur, among others. 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. Economics students focussed on the economic impact. And their findings were amazing. 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. More importantly, it’s undergraduates who are doing most of these researches through a recognisable formal procedure.
There are a few colleges in DU which have greater reputation than many othersIJ Could that be the factor why the university is still not recognised globallyIJ
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. Today, there could be only one difference — that is the commitment of students. 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.
While the undergraduate courses have grabbed attention, the Non-Collegiate Women’sEducation Board (NCWEB) and School of Open learning (SOl) are least sought after. What do you thinkIJ
When I became the Vice-Chancellor, my first concern was the way our undergraduates were pursuing their studies without being in sync with society and the world at large. Second was the examination system and the third concern was School of Open learning.
The real change in SOl and NCWEB will be seen in a year’s time. We will create a technology-based system for SOl and NCWEB students. This would enable them to have access to recorded lectures of regular colleges. More importantly, I want greater connectivity between SOl and regular colleges. If a student from a regular stream wants to take a semester break and join SOl, we must not stop him. Same way, if a SOl student wants to have a semester experience from a regular college we must not stop him either. We can at least do this for those who have done well in exams.
Will the introduction of FYUP create discrepancy among DU students and the restIJ After all, other universities have not adopted the four-year programme.
The four-year course has put us at par with global universities where 16 years (10+2+4) of formal education is a pre-requisite to get into a Master’s programme. You have a point when it comes to institutions within the country. But you should see what happens to IIT students who take four years to get the degree. There are a lot of IIT students who don’t go into engineering, many of them opt for research, pure sciences, mathematics, etc. No university turns them down, no university has gone against them but that’s not the story. The point is that the UGC has a co-ordination mechanism. When you complete four-years within our system, we will ensure that our Masters system moves towards credit basis and therefore, for four years you have more credit. likewise, the credit requirements will diminish for the Masters, which you will complete in a year. Similarly, I am hoping that the UGC will look into the co-ordination issue. So, by the time our students graduate after four years, I am confident there will be uniformity.