DU Standing Committee approves NEP from 2022; DUTA to hold strike

The University of Delhi (DU) has decided to implement the provisions of the National Education Policy (NEP) from the next academic year 2022-23. DU has also decided to reintroduce the four-year undergraduate programme while retaining the three-year courses in their present form.

The decision was taken during the meeting of the Standing Committee on Academic Matters held yesterday. However, the decision has not gone down well with a section of the teaching community, with the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) has announced to hold protest outside the vice-chancellor’s office and has also called for a strike today.

“The Standing Committee on Academic Matters has passed agenda on implementation of FYUP structure with effect from 2022-23 despite opposition and dissent. The University administration will have to face greater opposition tomorrow both inside and outside the Academic Council. The DUTA has called for Strike and protest outside VC Office on the matter,” said Abha Habib, Treasurer, DUTA.

Delhi University Vice-Chancellor, P.C. Joshi had told Shiksha that the university administration will hold discussion with various stakeholders and statuary bodies before implementing NEP 2020.  

4yr UG Course- An additional burden?

In 2014, the Delhi University launched four year UG courses which were rolled back later. According to protesting teachers, the experience of FYUP 2013 shows that students rejected the idea of additional expenditure for the fourth year. Habib said: “Survey amongst students (carried in 2013) showed that students were spending close to 1.5 - 2 lakhs per year in staying in Delhi to receive an education. Students rejected the idea of FYUP because of the dilution of the first two years of FYUP. We see that the new model once again packs the first two semesters with lukewarm courses.”

Teachers are also stating that adding an extra year will be an additional burden on infrastructure. Most of the DU colleges do not have any space for further expansion.

As per the teachers association, the addition of the fourth year will put an additional burden on infrastructure in terms of classrooms, labs, etc. Most colleges do not have any space or scope for further expansion. Neither is there any promise of additional grants for creating infrastructure nor has any study been done of the current state in the institution.

Decision on SWAYAM courses deferred 

The Standing Committee has deferred the discussion on the implementation of the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) through Study Webs of Active–Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM) because of the opposition from the members.

DUTA has alleged that the SWAYAM Regulations 2021 and Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) Regulations 2021 are an attack on the autonomy of the university and its departments. “These Regulations in the name of “choice” and “flexibility” allow students to take up to 40% - 50% of the credits from SWAYAM repository or from other institutions, depriving teachers of the role in deciding the nature of courses. This will reduce universities to degree issuing entities without ensuring quality and meaningful degrees and the employability of students with these degrees. These will redefine the regular stream of courses into semi-regular ones and will impact the rigour, learning environment and the value of the degrees for students.

Mithuraaj Dhusiya, Member of the DU Academic Council said: “Massive concerns were raised in the meeting of Standing Committee on Academic Matters regarding the loss of workload under the new proposed NEP structure. This document at this stage is not fit for discussion in Academic Council and needs a major rehaul and that is possible only when it is sent for feedback from teachers in Committee of Courses and Staff Councils.”

According to a statement released by DUTA on today’s strike: “The University has called a meeting of the Academic Council to discuss issues that have very grave consequences for the teaching community. In this respect, we request that these matters be first discussed at all statutory levels such as Departments, Faculties and Staff Councils before being placed in the Academic Council. Such widespread discussions would enable the University to not take hasty steps towards implementation of the provisions of NEP2020 (the FYUP with MEES) and other Regulations like SWAYAM and ABC.”

It has also questioned the plan to implement NEP from the academic year 2022-23 and has termed it baseless as according to them a detailed discussion and wider consultation on NEP 2020 among all stakeholders is needed.

The Standing Committee’s recommendations will come up for discussion in the Academic Council meeting to be held today.

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