Delhi University approved the implementation of the Choice Based Credit System from the upcoming session.
Delhi University today approved the implementation of the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) from the upcoming session, ending confusion among candidates seeking admission to the undergraduate programmes.
The proposal was vetted by the varsity's Executive Council (EC) despite dissent from five members, who alleged that the programme is being pushed in an "undemocratic" manner.
"There was no discussion on the CBCS... There was no articulation or deliberation on it. Despite dissent from five members the VC passed the CBCS implementation," one of the EC members Abha Dev Habib said.
With the admission process to DU's undergraduate courses for 2015-2016 session set to begin this week, the colleges were in a quandary on whether they should prepare the syllabus, timetables and do workload assessment according to the needs and requirements of CBCS or continue with the earlier system.
Delhi University has been facing criticism from various stakeholders regarding its "undecided" approach and "contradictory" statements on CBCS implementation.
After the HRD ministry had questioned the Vice Chancellor earlier this year regarding the university's preparations on CBCS implementation, DU had maintained an undecided stand on the issue.
However, last month it had asked faculty heads to start preparation for the roll out of CBCS and had directed them to finalise the syllabi, triggering a backlash from some members of the varsity's Executive Council who alleged that the university is violating statutory norms as the issue was never placed before the EC.
DU had earlier maintained that it is bound to follow the directive of the HRD ministry and implement CBCS as and when directed but it will bring the matter to statutory bodies once the "preparations" are done.
But later the university had asserted that it will not accept the UGC directive if its councils do not give a go ahead to it.
Following the series of contradictory statements, the colleges were still seeking clarity from the varsity on whether or not CBCS will be implemented.
While Delhi University Teacher's Association is drawing parallels between the CBCS controversy and the now defunct Four Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP), the history and the mathematics departments have also turned down the varsity's instructions to draft the new syllabus.
Terming the CBCS as a "cafeteria approach", UGC had in September last year asked all central universities to implement it from the ensuing academic session following a meeting of the vice chancellors of all varsities.
CBCS allows students' 'seamless mobility' across higher education institutions and transfer of credit earned by students.