Students shout slogans during a protest over the controversial FYUP at Delhi University campus on Tuesday (PTI photo)
Nearly three lakh students in the capital remain uncertain about college admissions, which have been kept on hold over a major row swirling around the Delhi University's controversial four-year undergraduate programme.
The university has refused to follow a directive to revert to the old three-year pattern and has proposed a plan to make minor tweaks in the four-year course.
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The University Grants Commission or UGC, the central funding agency that coordinates college education policies, wants the Delhi University to scrap the Four Year Undergraduate Programme or FYUP introduced last year despite strong objections. Last night, it ordered the university to begin admitting new students on the three-year pattern.
In response, the Delhi University has asked the UGC to approve a plan that will allow it to switch to three-year honours courses without dropping the massively unpopular four-year pattern.
The plan calls for reducing foundation courses that students have to take in the first two years, and an optional fourth year for research.
"Migrating to the old system would be time consuming, so we propose that the FYUP course can be amended... If UGC approves, there will be no delay implementing it," said Malay Neerav, the university's media coordinator.
The Delhi University Teachers' body has rejected the plan. Sources say the UGC is also unlikely to approve it as it wants the four-year system to end. (Opinion: The Four-Year Undergrad Program is Illegal)
In the middle of protests, rivals student activists of the BJP and Congress clashed on campus. Earlier in the day, students from Left unions were stopped from marching towards the Rashtrapati Bhawan, where they had planned to seek President Pranab Mukherjee's intervention.
In the past few days, there have been rumours about the resignation of Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh, who championed the four-year pattern. Mr Singh has not come out with any statement yet.
The ruling BJP today said he must resign. "It is unfortunate that the DU VC's ego is overriding the future of lakhs of students," said the party's Siddharth Nath Singh.
Many teachers and students say the move to introduce the four-year pattern last year was half-baked and failed to factor in the university's stretched resources. Nearly 60,000 students were admitted under the new system. (Blog: What About Me, asks Delhi University Student)
Critics of the four-year programme argue that it forces students to spend the first two years studying general foundation courses, similar to the US college system. They say the current schooling system in India (the 10+2 scheme) allows students to enter college primed to choose a specific subject or discipline. (Opinion: Why UPA Allowed The Four-Year Undergrad Programme)
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