New Delhi: Delhi University (DU) is all set to permit admissions to the most talked about four-year degree course from the upcoming session, commencing from July 2013. With the inception of these new courses, the prominent study streams like arts, commerce and science, of the University are believed to be most likely, turn overshadowed.
As per sources, this July, new entrants at the undergraduate level will be given a choice to pick from a bunch of new courses, combining science, arts and commerce subjects for a four-year degree. However, the traditional BA / B Sc / B Com arrangement will also be continued along, without reducing the overall intake.
As per the new norms, students registering this year will have to opt for admissions in two courses - Discipline I and II. These choices will benefit the students, as Discipline I will fetch them an honors degree at the end of four years, while the subjects taken up by them as part of Discipline ll will also be eligible to be pursued as master's course down the line.
In December 2012, the statutory bodies of the University i.e. Academic and Executive councils approved this four-year degree structure. The course structure comprises of Discipline I and II course papers, 11 foundation course papers and five application course papers. The Discipline I course paper will have two project-based research papers, only for those who continue to pursue the four year degree course.
Describing about the same, Virender Bhardwaj, a member of the 61-member task force DU set up to frame the structure, informed that there will be 20 Discipline I papers in all and will start right from the first semester. However, Discipline II courses will start from the third semester. The foundation course will include one paper, each on English and a modern Indian language. Besides this, there will be two papers on 'mind-body-heart', as part of value-based education; however, there will be no exams for these papers.
He further explained that from session 2013, aspirants will choose two subjects- for example, economics and English, as Discipline I and II respectively, unlike earlier when a candidate enrolled in a specific honors course. On completion of four years of study, students will get an honors degree in Discipline I. However, a student is also eligible to pursue master's course in Discipline II subjects.
According to sources, apart from changing the present three-year undergraduate studies with a four-year one, this new undergraduate programme will have two exit options. As per the new structure, a student can exit in the second year with an associate baccalaureate degree or in the third year with a baccalaureate degree. However, on completion of four years of study, a student will be awarded with a baccalaureate with honours / B Tech degree. According to University sources, the total seats for BA, B Sc and B Com programmes will also be merged.
