DU 4 year UG programme will enhance financial burden to students coming from weaker section

Updated on: Saturday, May 11, 2013

Opposing the proposed four-year undergraduate programme of Delhi University, a joint action forum said the scheme is against the interest of students coming from weaker section, especially those belonging to SC, ST and OBC.

The forum for democratic education comprising teachers of the university and other leaders from the backward community also contended that Delhi University has no mandate on deciding on policy issues even if it was an autonomous body.

The group, which met higher education secretary today to express their reservation on the issue, said the financial burden of the extra year needed to obtain an Honours degree will hit students, especially those belonging to SC, ST, OBC and rural poor, who come to Delhi to obtain good quality education.

"Most of these students are forced to live in private accommodation, in very appalling conditions, and will not be able to bear the expenses of the extra year," it said in a representation.

In a release, it claimed the secretary assured the delegation that he would take it up in the meeting of the UGC to be held tomorrow.

The new programme entails awarding a diploma if a student exits after two years, a bachelor's degree after three years and a bachelor's degree with honours or a B Tech degree on completion of four years.

"In the proposed scheme, a degree obtained after three years will not be equal to an Honours degree obtained after four years. This will mean that students who obtain the three year degree (among whom will be a large number of SC/ST/OBC students) will remain unequal citizens," the forum argued.

Besides, percentages of SC, ST, and OBC students mandated by the Central Educational Institutions (Reservations in Admission) Act of 2006 will be systematically sabotaged as reservation will be implemented only at the stage of admission.

There will be fewer and fewer reserved category students in the third and the fourth year, it said.

Voicing her concern, forum member and a DU teacher Vijaya Venkataraman said the varsity "does not have the right to frame policies, despite being an autonomous body on matters of framing degree programmes."

"We would also be submitting a memorandum to UGC tomorrow which would be taking up the issue of the four-year programme at its meeting," she said.

The forum said far from being enabling and equipping the student with choices, the four-year programme has a very rigid structure and it enforces a lot on the students, regardless of whether they need it or whether they have the aptitude for it.

The multiple exit points (at two, three and four years) will ensure that only the privileged will reach the last stage of getting a Honours degree, while students from marginalised and underprivileged backgrounds will be forced to exit with a lower degree, it said.

DU 4 year UG programme will enhance financial burden to students coming from weaker section

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