Delhi University (DU) is planning to change its curriculum for the third time in seven years, prompting academics to doubt that frequent revisions with lesser funding could change varsities into “experimental labs” without receiving the ideal results.
DU expert committee headed by Prof. Vivek Suneja is evaluating the necessary alterations to the existing curriculum to implement the government’s National Education Policy smoothly.
The committee selected by P.C. Joshi, vice-chancellor conducted a meeting last week where it discussed integrating skill-based courses with undergraduate programmes in science, humanities and commerce, among other things.
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Each programme will consist of courses in vocational skills as per the proposed structure being discussed by the committee. General BA, BSc and BCom courses at DU now do not include any skill component.
Apart from this, in 2013, DU had established a Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) consisting of skill-training programmes. In 2015, the Centre informed DU to discontinue the FYUP, stating no approval of the visitor, the President of India.
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In 2015, DU had started the University Grants Commission (UGC)’s directive to varsities to introduce a Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS), permitting students of a specific stream to study over 30 per cent of the course of another discipline.
However, in 2019, the UGC changed the CBCS and urged universities to follow a Learning Outcome-Based Framework (LOCF) with an aim of skill enhancement. The varsities are yet to establish them.
Additionally, now the government seeks all public universities to establish the FYUP as a part of the National Education Policy (NEP).
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NEP mentions the increasing duration of undergraduate courses from three years to four years with multiple exit options. Those who successfully qualify four years will receive a bachelors with Research degree.
The DU committee is also working upon adding the integration of subjects on Indian languages with foundation courses in natural environment and ethics.
Abha Dev Habib, a faculty member of Miranda House College and former executive council member of DU, stated continuous modification in the curriculum was not an academically sound measure.
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She stated, “We have been witnessing continuous changes in curriculum since 2010. Any change in the academic curriculum takes time to show results. But changing the curriculum every two years is not an academically sound measure. We should not convert universities into experimental labs.”
Habib mentioned the plan to skill courses should be backed by understanding of the system.
She further added,“There is hardly any space in colleges to add labs for skill courses, nor is there any promise of grants. The colleges have implemented the quota for the economically weaker sections (EWS) without expansion in infrastructure and faculty strength.”
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After Class XII, students are provided with the option of enrolling in professional courses like engineering or medicine, or skill courses at the polytechnics or general courses such as BA, BCom and BSc.
“Integration of skill courses with general courses will dilute the quality of skill training and also the general BA, BCom and BSc courses. Ultimately, the quality of degrees awarded by public universities will be diluted. It will help private universities to prosper,” Habib further informed.
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