DU top panel urges VC to amend new curriculum, says it might dilute academic rigour  

The members stated that the new curriculum would reduce workload leading to massive displacement of teachers, especially those working in ad hoc capacity
Teachers have opposed the proposed structure of the UGCF | Pic: EdexLive
Teachers have opposed the proposed structure of the UGCF | Pic: EdexLive

Two members of the Delhi University's Executive Council have urged the university Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh to make “amendments” in the structure of the new curriculum which, they claimed, may dilute “academic rigour". "The new curriculum will be implemented from the academic year 2022-23. The Delhi University's Executive Council — the varsity's top decision-making body — had in February approved an Undergraduate Curriculum Framework 2022 or UGCF-2022, as formulated by a National Education Policy cell," as stated in a report by PTI

A section of teachers have opposed the proposed structure of the UGCF. In a letter to the VC, two EC members — Seema Das and Rajpal Singh Pawar — argued that while DU has been a premier institution, widely acclaimed for a high standard of teaching, learning and research, the UGCF 2022 has been “haphazardly made” by an “extra-statutory” body — the NEP cell (based on the National Education Policy 2020), leading to the dilution of academic rigour.

The members said that the UGCF, as approved, stands to adversely affect the teacher-workload and academic rigour. They also said that the new curriculum will lead to a massive displacement of teachers, especially of those who are employed on an ad hoc basis. “According to authentic information, the student-teacher ratio is being doubled in comparison to the present student-teacher ratio across subjects/discipline by the UGC and, hence, by DU. This will drastically reduce workload leading to massive displacement of teachers, especially those working in ad hoc capacity,” as stated in the letter. 

The members also suggested that DU's recent directives that stated that no ad hoc or guest teacher's appointment will happen till every teacher takes 16 periods per week, will lead to a “situation that will underestimate the importance of quality research which also ignores the importance of research done by the faculty members".T he total weightage of core papers in Choice Based Credit System/ Learning Outcome Based Curriculum (CBCS/LOCF) is 70-75 per cent but in the current UGCF 2022, it is merely 45-50 per cent. The members said this will reduce the workload.

The letter argued that the reduction of overall credit from 196 to 176 in four years and 148 to 132 in three years would also lead to a significant decrease in the workload. They added the NEP's Multi Entry-Exit system (MEES) and Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) “institutionalises a fluctuating workload and roster". The MEES, they claimed, will hamper “the implementation of the constitutionally obligatory provisions of reservation for SC/ST/OBC/EWS in teaching jobs". Removal of English as an option from AEC (Ability Enhancement Courses) and as the compulsory language core in BA and BCom, will drastically reduce the workload of the English departments in colleges,'' they said.

“We request you (the VC) to consider and take into account the above-mentioned facts in the course of implementation of the UGCF and bring the required amendments without any further delay,” the members said in their letter.

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