Delhi University’s academic council will hold a meeting on February 9 to discuss the implementation of the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework based on the National Education Policy (NEP), officials said on Wednesday.
On January 21, the university had released a draft Undergraduate Curriculum Framework 2022 (UGCF-2022) formulated in accordance with the NEP and sought feedback from stakeholders.
The stakeholders were given time till January 30 to submit their feedback. The UGCF proposes the implementation of a four-year undergraduate programme.
The UGCF has come under criticism, with many saying it will reduce the workload of teachers and thereby bring in contractualisation. The critics say it will also reduce credits for students.
A senior university official said, “The academic council meeting will discuss the implementation of the UGCF and any minor changes, if required. The university has allayed apprehensions of stakeholders by stating that the workload of teachers won’t be reduced.”
An academic council member said the detailed agenda of the meeting has not been sent but a circular said that it will consider the UGCF-2022 based on the NEP, 2020.
In a related development, the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) said the university should withdraw the proposed UGCF and discuss it with the stakeholders to further strengthen the framework already passed by the academic council.
“The university must discuss the proposed changes with all stakeholders and not take any harsh or hurried decisions as it is a very important issue for both students and teachers,” it said.
The DUTA said the new proposed structures are different from what was passed in last year’s meetings of the academic council and the executive council.
“The University of Delhi has faced too many structural and course revisions in the last decade. These hurried and unmindful changes led to ad hocism, instability and dilution of academics in the name of reforms.
“Therefore, the university needs to be careful and do proper consultations on curriculum framework with detailed syllabus among all the stakeholders and preparations in terms of physical infrastructure, other resources and permanent faculties,” it said.
DU’s three-year flagship Honours discipline-specific courses should continue without a reduction of credits. Similarly, multidisciplinary BA, B.Sc and B.Com programmes must continue as they have wide acceptability and utility, it said.
The DUTA also said the option of multiple exits after first and second year needs to be reconsidered.
“As such, there seems to be no benefit of this scheme and it may dissuade students from completing their graduation,” it said.