Delhi University has appointed a committee to consider a four-year undergraduate course that strives to withhold exit at the end of three years despite the duration being suggested by the National Education Policy for a three-year bachelor’s degree.
The committee formed by Delhi University which is headed by Prof. Vivek Suneja has been assigned the task to suggest the structure of four-year bachelor courses. The committee had calculated a module which states that the students will be given a certificate upon completion of one year, a diploma upon competition of the second year, and the bachelor’s degree at the end of the fourth or last year. In the same, students will be permitted to leave the course on completion of first, second, or fourth year but not the third year.
The formulated committee has further presented a proposal to curtail the four core papers in the major subjects of the course and further add subjects on ethics, skills, and hobby in the four-year programme.
The New Education Policy introduced in the year 2020 proposes various entry and exit options in bachelor’s courses. As per the policy, students completing the three years in an undergraduate course are to receive a bachelor’s degree.
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Therefore, a few Delhi University teachers affirmed their concerns over the prohibition of exit options at the end of the third year and further questioned the inefficient layout of the course.
Presently, B.Com, B.A., and BSc courses in Delhi University hold a duration of three years.
Seema Das, a member of the Academic Council of Delhi University and a member of the Suneja Committee in a letter expressed several concerns about the proposal.
She further asserted that the educational rigor of the three-year undergraduate degree would be subsequently curtailed with the decision of four core papers from the syllabus. The elision of core papers would not permit an undergraduate student to seek mastery in the respective subject.
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She added that a probability that a few subjects would be chosen over other minor subjects by the students. This may subject to the elimination of a few subjects and monotony in teachers.
Abha Dev Habib, the Treasurer of Delhi University Teacher’s Association and Former Executive Council Member said that ratified exit after first or second year will lend false hope of achievement to students.
Habib added that the course layout providing exit points depicts that the course cannot add to their knowledge, worth, and abilities. The first few semesters of the bachelor’s degree are comprised of basic courses that will not help students in attaining any real academic skills or rigor.
This will ultimately force students to spend one extra year for the same UG degree with no extraordinary benefit at a much higher cost. This will only add to the expenses for students for an extra one year.