Delhi University to start FYUP program

Delhi University is once again going to implement a four-year undergraduate course from next year. After the first attempt failed in 2014, now the university’s academic council has given its nod to the new structure on Tuesday evening.

During the meeting, a few members raised concern over the structure of the new courses and the implementation of the desired course structure. The university administration is quite sure that this time everything has been made fool-proof and from the academic year 2022-23, this will be implemented in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

DU had introduced the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) in 2014. It was scrapped by the government after massive protests by students and teachers the same year.

 

DU FYUP Programme structure

Delhi University officials say in the new course structure, BA programme, B Com programme and B Sc (General) courses have been done away with. There will be credit scores for every course and in case of all the courses will have similar credit scores. For the first three years, the credit score points would be 148 for all the courses, earlier for BA (Pass), B Com (Pass) and B Sc (General) course the credit points used to be 132, which made them a lesser course than the Honours. In the new programme, students shall be able to pursue three-year honours or four-year honours in a discipline or four-year honours in a discipline with Research.

In addition to the courses that exist in the current honours, the new programme shall include additional courses in the first three years of the programme. The courses which have been added to the existing curriculum are,

1) Language and Literature

2) Social and Emotional learning

3) Innovation and Entrepreneurship

4) Co-curricular 5) Ethics and Culture.

 

In the fourth year of the programme (semesters VII and VIII), students can choose between

(i) pursuing the Bachelors of Arts / Science / Commerce (Honours) in Discipline (Four Years) or

(ii) the Bachelors of Arts / Science / Commerce (Honours) in Discipline with Research (Four Years). In the first case, the student would be required to study four Generic Elective (Minors) papers in the fourth year. The student shall also study two Discipline Specific Elective papers. If the student will opt for the second option, then one has to study two Generic Elective (Minors) papers in the fourth year. The student shall also study two Discipline Specific Elective papers. She would need to complete a thesis / internship in semesters VII and VIII. Therefore, there will be no M. Phil course from the next academic year.

 

When the proposal for this has put before the Academic council on Tuesday, some of the members have put a dissenting note and have expressed serious concern over the implementation of the new programme under the NEP. India Today talked to both sides, said PC Joshi, Vice-Chancellor, Delhi University

 

The structure will change as higher education is changing. More focus on the Indian language, emotional well-being, psychological health, ethics and values is being given more prominence. Vocational studies and entrepreneurial skills so that it will be useful for society. So, we are adding new things.

 

Pass course programme will no longer exist. Now all the courses will be honours courses and will be provided with 148 credit points. Earlier for BA pass, there were only 132 credit points. For the fourth year, the credit points will be 196.

 

How to get DU Degree before time

The major concern from those who are opposing is the workload of the faculty members, but if the credit points are being increased then there is no question of decreasing the workload. In my opinion, we will require an extra workforce and those which are existing will be required.

 

Now multiple entry-exit will be allowed as well. If someone wants to leave a particular course after completing first year, then one can leave but the credit score will remain there. If someone completes the credit score for a certain degree, then one can take the degree without completing the course as well.

 

Multi-disciplinary and holistic education is required so a student pursuing a graduation course will study his subject, but he has to do a minor in one of the subjects as well. Although for minor subjects the credit score would be less at the end of the course the student would be enriched in that subject as well.

 

DU studies: Then vs Now

Earlier, language was not compulsory for the science and commerce courses but now that criteria have been made vaster, and language would be promoted. They have to choose two languages along with English one more language will be required.

 

Alok Pandey, Member of, Academic Council, said, "Our main concern is changing the three-year syllabus into the four-year course. The only nomenclature has changed for the BA programme, the B Com programme."

 

Earlier in the third year, there were four core papers for the honours subject, now two papers have been removed. Now those students who will leave after three years could not study those two papers.

Earlier there was more focus on Hindi as a language. The choice was between Hindi/Mother Indian Language (MIL) and English/MIL. Now, only English/Indian Language option has been given which means Hindi will be one of the Indian languages and students won’t have any option to choose between Hindi and English.

 

Now there will be less important to the subject in which a student is pursuing the Honours degree. There are 8 papers for General Elective and 12 papers of Honours (Major)

 

Clarity on the languages is needed and workload assessment of faculty members should be done. This will increase ad-hoc appointments in the university rather than the permanent faculty members.

 

As the fourth year is optional, most of the students will leave after the third year and hence in given course structure students will also be at a loss and the workload of the teachers will reduce

 

For example, earlier in B Com Honours there were 14 papers in three years for the main subject. But now there are just 12 papers in four years with 12 papers of General Elective (GE) which is Non-commerce subject.