NEW DELHI: Delhi University’s (DU) new academic session began on Friday, which welcomed both first-year students and those advancing into the fourth year under the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP), which is being implemented in full for the first time.
While orientation programmes were held across various colleges to guide freshers, over 55% of eligible students opted to continue into the newly introduced fourth year.
According to DU Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh, 31,004 of the approximately 71,000 students eligible for the fourth year have opted out, indicating that more than half of eligible students have chosen to pursue the optional final year under FYUP.
“We have made all possible arrangements for teaching and learning for the new students as well as those entering the fourth year for the first time,” said VC Singh. He addedd, “I want to assure our students that no one should be worried about anything.”
This year, Delhi University is offering 71,624 undergraduate seats across 79 programmes in 69 colleges. However, with the introduction of the four-year undergraduate programme, both students and faculty seem to be grappling with confusion.
Speaking to freshers on their first day, many expressed concerns about a lack of clarity regarding the new structure, syllabus and academic roadmap. “We’ve only been told that what used to be a three-year programme is now a four-year programme. We haven’t been given any explanation on how it works or what the changes are,” said one fresher.
Some students remain optimistic about the change. “If I complete a four-year bachelor’s here, I can directly pursue a PhD, which is great,” said another student. They pointed out that many international universities prefer applicants with a four-year undergraduate degree, potentially enhancing global academic prospects.
However, postgraduate students, particularly those in the sciences, have expressed reservations. Physics honours students raised concerns about the inadequate lab facilities at DU, which they feel hinder their research.
“The lab instruments are really old, rusty, and not research-friendly. DU needs serious upgrades before taking on the added responsibility of four-year undergraduates,” said Kriti Sharma, a fresher.