UGC, DU at loggerheads overfour-year undergraduate programme
New Delhi: The Students for Academic Excellence and Inclusive Growth (SAEIG) on Monday held a protest at Jantar Mantar against the UGC for directing Delhi University (DU) to scrap the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP).
The protesters said that the University Grants Commission (UGC) should immediately revoke its order. “The ‘dictatorship’ of the UGC will not be tolerated at any cost.
The Delhi University, which is an autonomous university, will not tolerate any such interference by the government in matters of education just because the BJP had included the scrapping of FYUP in its manifesto,” SAEIG president Ashish Singh said.
Singh said that UGC sending letter to DU-affiliated colleges, instead of the varsity authorities, is highly objectionable. He also questioned the timing of the order, which came just two days before the admissions begin. “The UGC’s new directive will only leave the future of 54,000 students who are already enrolled under the system in doldrums,” Singh said.
Lata, a teacher of Sri Venkateswara College, said that UGC officials have turned a deaf ear to FYUP until a change in the government took place, adding that this clearly shows that the move was taken under political pressure and was influenced by politicians.
Claiming that FYUP is cost-effective, Late said, “The Centre and the UGC should give some time and ponder over the issue rather than taking hasty decisions.”
HRD Ministry holds meeting with UGC: Meanwhile, Amidst feeling of uncertainty and anger among hundreds of Delhi University students over the controversial four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP), Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani on Monday held a meeting with a University Grants Commission (UGC)-appointed committee to find a solution to the crisis.
The UGC had on Dunfaday issued a fresh directive to the Delhi University to revert to the three-year course and asked for a compliance report by forenoon today.
It had sent the first directive three days back on Friday.
The Delhi University’s reluctance to scrap the FYUP and the UGC insistence on reverting it has left hundreds of DU students in a state of uncertainty.
A group of them today staged a protest outside Shashtri Bhawan where the HRD Ministry is housed.
The UGC, in its yesterday’s note to the DU had said any violation of its directive shall be ‘deemed to be in contravention of the UGC Act, with its consequences’.
Egoism at play in UGC, DU row: Congress leader Manish Tewari has voiced concern over the ongoing tussle between Delhi University (DU) and the UGC, saying “egoism” was at play in the whole issue. (Agencies)