Delhi University ordered to scrap 4-year degree course

Fourth year to be optional for students aspiring for honours degree.

By Sonny Abraham

Published: Mon 23 Jun 2014, 11:45 PM

Last updated: Sat 4 Apr 2015, 1:27 AM

INDIA’S UNIVERSITY Grants Commission (UGC) on Sunday ordered the University of Delhi (DU) to scrap its four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) from this academic year, a day after the DU rejected an earlier directive from it to do so and just one year after the ambitious but controversial programme was introduced.

The order came a day after the DU, in a move that placed it on a path of confrontation with the new BJP-led NDA government, had on Saturday rejected the UGC’s previous directive and had, instead, tweaked the FYUP a little to bring it in line with the National Policy on Education (NPE). The UGC, a statutory body of the government of India for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education in India, had issued the first order on Friday at the behest of the central government.

At its meeting here on Saturday, the DU’s Academic Council resolved that, in view of the modifications made by it to the existing structures of the programme, the FYUP had been made compliant with the NPE (10+2+3 scheme) and with the UGC’s concerns.

In its resolution, the council noted that students seeking admission to the university’s undergraduate programme this year would be admitted into the three-year bachelor’s degree programme (BA/BSc/BCom) in their major subject and would graduate with the corresponding degree on the completion of three years, which would be in conformity with the NPE.

“The Academic Council further clarified that the fourth year of study is an optional year for those students who wish to obtain a B.A. Honours/B.Sc. Honours/B.Com. Honours/B.Tech. UG degree,” DU Registrar Alka Sharma said. The UGC, however, did not take kindly to the DU’s defiance and issued a fresh order on Sunday, saying that admission for academic year 2014-15 at the undergraduate level in the general degree programme (including the Honours programme in different subjects of Humanities, Science and Commerce) in various colleges under DU shall only be to the 3-year undergraduate programme which was offered prior to the introduction of the FYUP.

It said that, further, under no circumstances shall the DU or any of the colleges under it admit students to the FYUP for academic year 2014-15. “Any deviation from this directive by the University of Delhi or any of the colleges under it shall be deemed to be in contravention of the UGC Act, 1956 with its consequences,” the order said. The university has been asked to report compliance to the commission of these directives by the forenoon of Monday without fail. Separately, the UGC also sent copies of the order to the principals of all the colleges under the DU.

The matter had assumed some urgency in view of the fact that the admission process to the undergraduate colleges under DU is already on and the first list for admission is expected to be announced by the various colleges on Monday, followed by admissions Tuesday onwards.

The UGC also issued a Press release as well as a public notice to ensure that the order received wide publicity among students, parents and the general public. It has also constituted a Standing Committee to advise DU on migration from FYUP to the 3-year undergraduate programme. The DU has all along maintained that it had followed due procedure in the introduction of the FYUP, which had received more than 278,000 applications this year. In its order of Friday to the DU, the UGC had said that the NPE, 1986, adopted and approved by parliament, mandated a common structure of education and a National System of Education with a 10+2+3 structure throughout the country. The Commission said it had considered the implementation of DU’s FYUP at its meeting on June 13 and, taking into account various facts, including that it was not in accordance with the 10+2+3 system, had decided to issue an advisory to DU to reconsider and review the continuation of the FYUP.

It noted that, in its reply of June 17 to the UGC, the DU had said it would examine the issue of compliance by it to the NPE and the adherence by it to the policy of the government of India.

The UGC said that the central government had issued directions to it on June 20 to ensure the implementation of the NPE, specifically in respect of the educational structure, and to further ensure that no university or institution of higher education violates the academic structure of 10+2+3 in respect of undergraduate programmes in general higher education.

The central government had further directed the Commission to issue the necessary directive to DU to adhere to the NPE. Among other things, the Commission said it had acted in the larger interest of the students and to ensure that they are not put to any undue hardship because of the DU’s deviation. It felt the FYUP would create complications for students who opt for migration to other universities, since all other universities follow a system of three years of undergraduate education for general degree programmes.