UGC tells DU to scrap 4-year Under Graduate course

Stepping up pressure, the University Grants Commission on Saturday asked the Delhi University to scrap the four-year undergraduate programme even as the DU Vice Chancellor is understood to have cautioned against taking any step "in a hurry".

According to officials in the university, the Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh received an e-mail communication from the UGC for scrapping the FYUP programme on Saturday morning.

Teachers who are opposed to the programme claimed that the Vice Chancellor is still backing the FYUP and asked the members to go ahead with the academic council meeting on Saturday to discuss various issues of the four-year course.

They claimed that the VC refused to share with the members a copy of the e-mail, but said that the issue can be discussed in the council meeting which began on a stormy note.

According to the teachers, the VC argued "that UGC might have inadvertently overlooked facts in a hurry".

"He has, however, requested members to discuss the issue and continue with the agenda of the meeting."

At its full commission meeting on June 13, UGC had asked DU to review the programme as it felt that it was in violation of the national policy on education which follows the 10-plus 2-plus 3 pattern.

DU, however, stood by the programme and in a reply to the commission has maintained that it has followed due procedure in its implementation by carrying out necessary amendments to an university ordinance.

The HRD ministry has denied vetting any such ordinance from the DU.

Delhi University Teachers Association along with several student organisations such as NSUI, ABVP, AIDSO, AISA, AISF, CYSS, DSU, INSO, KYS, NEFIS, PACHHAS, SFI and SYS have been demanding immediate roll back of the FYUP and the VC's resignation.