NEW DELHI: The Delhi University’s Democratic Teachers Front (DTF) on Monday claimed that the University Grants Commission (UGC) draft on Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUGP) is a ‘mindless’ cut-paste from foreign universities and is divorced from the ground realities of higher education.
The outfit stated that the new framework increases the financial burden on students with an additional year but provides no meaningful academic content. The DTF sent a detailed critique of the UGC of the Draft Curriculum Framework and Credit System (CFCS) for FYUP, running into 12 pages.
Abha Dev Habib, DTF president said, “We are aghast, though not surprised, that the UGC draft document comprises borrowed ideas, divorced from the ground realities and the real needs of our education system. This cut-paste job shows the callousness with which the NEP and its derivatives are being thrust upon the country.”
“As per the suggested framework, students will spend three semesters on studying general courses and will only study the core discipline in semesters IV, V and VI. The last year is to be spent on research mainly. In effect, it will lead to massive dilution of honours courses as compared to the current 3-year degree.
In the current system, the student earns 108-116 credits from the major discipline out of a total of 148 (i.e. 72% – 78%). This will be reduced to 48 credits out of 130 in three years (36.9%) under FYUGP or 66 out of 160 credits in 4 years (41%),” she added.
The DTF further highlighted, “A survey carried in 2013 showed that students were spending close to 1.5 - 2 lakhs to stay in the city for the additional year. The proposed model falls into the same trap by offering inconsequential courses in the first three semesters.”