Page 14 - EW FEB 2022

Education News

DELHI navirus pandemic having broken out
FYUP resurrected three months previously, its imple-

mentation has been slow.
Consequently, UGC has formu-
lated the National Higher Education
Qualifications Framework (NHEQF)
under which the duration of all arts,
science and commerce programmes
offered by Central government uni-
versities — including Delhi Universi-
ty — will be four years with students
having the option to exit with a
certificate after one year; a diploma
after two years, a bachelor’s degree
in three years and an honours degree
after four years (eight semesters).
An online Bank of Academic Credits
has been established with students
given the option of multiple exits
and entries to acquire additional
qualifications. The UGC has made
the NHEQF draft public and sought
Delhi University: full circle. Inset: Dinesh Singh public comments and suggestions by
February 13.
he wheel is set to turn full (ABVP), promised to abrogate the Nevertheless, although the new
circle for Delhi University university’s FYUP if elected to office FYUP set to be introduced by DU in
T(DU, estb.1922), one of India’s at the Centre. With the BJP sweeping the academic year beginning July
largest (82 affiliated colleges and General Election 2014 with a two- 2022 makes eminent good sense in-
400,000 students) and most popular thirds majority in the Lok Sabha, in a asmuch as it enables multi-stage ex-
universities. In 2013, DU became the brazen volte face, UGC withdrew its its and re-entry because undergrads
first university to introduce four-year permission to DU which had already may need to interrupt their educa-
arts, science and commerce under- introduced FYUP in its affiliated col- tion for numerous socio-economic
grad programmes. leges in the academic year 2013-14. reasons, or to acquire workplace
Reacting to widespread reports Although DU’s four-year under- experience before resuming their
about industry’s dissatisfaction grad programme was promptly and education, it has its critics.
with arts, science and commerce cravenly withdrawn by UGC under According to Dr. Abha Dev
graduates from Indian universities pressure from bossy Union HRD Habib, secretary of the Delhi Teach-
— including the top-ranked Delhi (education) minister Smriti Irani, ers Federation, also a past DUTA
University — in 2012, DU’s vision- informed educationists were almost (Delhi University Teachers Associa-
ary and hard-driving vice chancel- unanimous that it was an overdue tion) treasurer and professor at the
lor and renowned mathematician reform. The T.N. Subramanian top-ranked Miranda House, “certifi-
Prof. Dinesh Singh persuaded Committee constituted in 2016 to cation and diplomas are specialisa-
Kapil Sibal, then Union minister for draft the National Education Policy tions that cannot simply be extracted
education and the University Grants endorsed it. Ditto the K. Kasturiran- from a structured four-year degree
Commission (UGC) to permit DU to gan Committee which was appointed programme”. She believes that a
introduce a four-year undergraduate in 2018 after the Subramanian Com- large number of women and poor
programme (FYUP). mittee’s report, which recommended household children will be tempted
Predictably this overdue reform, sharp reduction of government to exit with certificates and diplomas
which added a year to the three- control of education, was rejected. to take low-paying jobs. “It will lead
year degree programme introduced The KR Committee Report’s to informalisation of higher educa-
during the British Raj, generated a strong recommendation of FYUP for tion,” she warns.
storm of controversy. In its mani- all universities countrywide was in- However, DUTA has a record of
festo in the run-up to General Elec- corporated into NEP 2020 presented having opposed FYUP when it was
tion 2014, the BJP, egged on by the to Parliament and the nation on July first introduced in 2013. The plain
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad 29, 2020. But with the novel Coro- truth is that graduates of India’s

14 EDUCATIONWORLD FEBRUARY 2022