The decision of Delhi University (DU) to conduct entrance examinations for undergraduate courses from next year has left teachers fuming as they opine that this might give an impetus to the coaching industry to flourish even more and as a result, deprive students of access to good and quality education.
The teachers also were of the opinion that the decision was taken in a rush without thinking about how students and their education has suffered at the hands of all the pandemic, as per a report in Financial Express.
AK Bhagi, President, Delhi University Teachers’ Association, said that, “The committee that was formed to look at the admission process did not have teachers who teach at the undergraduate level. The university should not have rushed into the move and consulted the stakeholders, including the students’ union. This is likely to create problems and can prove to be disadvantageous for those from economically weaker sections who cannot afford coaching and even for women from smaller villages.” He also added that the university ought to be mindful when it is working out the modalities to conduct these entrance tests and needs to do it with utmost precision.
Pankaj Garg, Chairman, Indian National Teachers’ Congress (INTEC), informed that it is students from smaller towns and economically weaker sections (EWS) who will be deprived of access to undergraduate courses.
“They have been kept away from professional education and now we will deprive them of even this? Students have to come to metros for coaching for professional courses. How will their parents manage? Even if some of the parents manage to do so, what about others?” Garg said. Citing regional skew, as a large number of students from the Kerala board made it through the admissions, as the reason, he went on to say that the committee has put forth an entrance test as a solution to deal with it.
“There has been no discussion on how the entrance exams will be held, whether there will be separate exams for each course and how things will be worked out for those students who want to change streams. Currently, students from science can opt for arts courses and even commerce but how will things be planned for them,” he asked.
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It was in the year 2017 that a committee had been constituted by the then Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi to look into the entrance exam system and Garg was a part of it. Back then, it was suggested that they will pilot it by conducting exams for one course under every stream. “DU is planning to introduce entrance exams without planning and it will lead to problems,” he said. He also said that the university is rushing to implement the provisions of the National Education Policy 2020.
“This is being done because the pressure is coming to implement NEP. Soon, a one-line resolution will be passed that Delhi University will go for the Central Universities Common Entrance Test (CUCET). It is a commercial model and students will be forced to take coaching,” said Abha Dev Habib, Secretary, Democratic Teachers’ Front calling it a rushed decision.
“This will push admissions into the pocket of the urban population,” she opined and added, "Students have been learning through online modes and hardly any teaching-learning is happening. I think that once the situation normalises, the university should rethink its decision.”
Rajesh Jha from Academics For Action and Development (AAD) voiced similar views as his fellow teachers. He also mentioned their stance against entrance tests right from the beginning as it enables only English-medium, urban and privileged students will gain access to Delhi University.
