New Delhi: The University of Delhi has become a war zone as the battle lines are drawn between a section of teachers and students and the University’s administration over the introduction of 4 year programme. Ever since the announcement of education reforms, the University has been witnessing debates and discussions. Earlier, students’ community had problems about the fee hike and the distribution of seats among the programmes and now the language issue has stirred a debate.
As per sources, a left backed group of teachers has taken the Save DU Campaign to the Prime Minister's doorsteps and created a web portal for spreading up their voice. On the other hand, students from the northeastern region of the country are protesting against the imposition of compulsory Hindi / Modern Indian Language in the foundation course of the four year format.
The Asian Centre for Human Rights has filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission on making of the language paper compulsory, alleging policy of exclusion towards students of the region. Moreover, another front of students is also protesting against the merger of the three courses in the new undergraduate programme.
A group of teachers, students and individual has started a web portal, namely, 4yrdu.com, for an online movement on proposed reforms. Taking the issue so seriously, an online petition has also been sent to the PM. The online petition sent to the PM stated that the decision to hurriedly and undemocratically push through the four year undergraduate course in DU from the ensuing session July 2013 is not only going to adversely affect the careers of millions of students, but would pave the way for further fee hikes, privatization and commodification and dilute the comprehensive character of education.
The protesters have also demanded a nationwide discussion for inclusion of such a major change in the nationally accepted 10+2+3 system. Also, they said that it's not only for creating a buzz about higher education reforms but it's all about the future of the nation. As part of the campaign, students and teachers will conduct a signature campaign among the DU Community as well as the common public. Abha Dev Habib, a teacher of Miranda House said that the campaign would not be limited only to DU campus; we will also take it to Delhi Metro stations, commercial places Dilli Haat, among schools and in localities in order to spread up the awareness about the adverse effect of the onslaught reforms of the University.
In the midst of uproar against the 4 year format, DU Teachers Association too has convened its executive meeting to discuss the college staff associations resolution on the reforms and to draw its future plan of action, even as the University is preparing to finalize the courses, admission policies and likely to present it in the Academic Council for approval between April 15 and April 20, 2013. As per sources, 25 college staff associations have sent their resolution to DUTA against the four year plan.
News about the splitting of courses has also come from the University. On Wednesday, the expert committee revisited their proposal on internal assessment and also recommended that the foundation courses to be divided into groups and offered separately in the first two semester of the proposed four year undergraduate programme. While the University is yet to officially announce whether the meeting was the final one, but the members have informed that the format for four year UG programme has completed and we have made the recommendation on the admission policy.
