Why is UGC demanding to scrap four years undergraduate degree?

UGC demands DU to scrap FYUP
UGC demands DU to scrap FYUP

UGC to scrap FYUP

The four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) was introduced last year by the Delhi University (DU). In this programme students have two exit points – one after completing three years with a bachelors degree and the second one is after four years with a bachelor of honours degree.

The University Grants Commission (UGC), the academic-cum-funding agency for central universities, is now asking the DU to roll back the four-year undergraduate programme as it is against the National Education Policy (NEP) 1986 which has foreseen 10+2+3 policy. Also it is asking the DU not to conduct admissions under four-year undergraduate programme this season. The UGC is also asking the University to facilitate easy and complete migration of the first FYUP batch to the three-year-programme. The University must enable the students to complete three years’ degree in two years.

The Delhi University officials passed a resolution and concluded that the four-year undergraduate programme does not violate the NEP guidelines. University has given the provision of exit after completing three years and the fourth year is optional which depends upon the wish of a student. The resolution was passed by 80 members and rebelled by 10 members.

On the other hand the UGC is stating that it wants a uniform system of education and that is why asking the DU to revert back to three years programme. The Delhi University said that being an autonomous body it can take the decision without any intervention of UGC. The Delhi University has said that it will continue with the admission to four-years-programme. So is it an issue of prestige?

The DU was supposed to introduce a skill based programme as a part of the undergraduate programmes but it hasn’t done so. Such courses are the need of the day and must be implemented without a delay.

The entire issue is becoming controversial and leading to uncertainty among students seeking admissions to the University. The fate of the first batch FYUP students is also uncertain. The UGC has asked the University to make sure that all these students get necessary academic and competency skills in the next two academic years. Hence the students have to complete three years of degree in two years. As in the first year of FYUP they have studied just the foundation courses.

The University Grants Commission has also set up a standing committee for advising the Delhi University to scrap the four-year under-graduate programme. A public notice for parents and students have been issued by the Commission in all the leading newspapers. But the University has made no comments on the issue and everybody is still in the state of confusion.

A Left student group is in the favor of three-year programme and protesting outside the ministry of human resource development (MHRD) office. It is asking Minister Smriti Irani to intervene for a speedy transition. The student group Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi parishad (ABVP) has also welcomed the orders by the UGC. Some students are in the favor of four-years-undergraduate-programme.

However there is a one question amidst of all this chaos, why the FYUP was initiated last year when the programme was against any policy? Wasn’t everything checked before launching it? Where was the UGC at that time? Why some students are against the FYUP? After all it is a valuable addition of one year to your degree.

 

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