UGC to review Delhi University's four-year undergraduate programme

NEW DELHI: Faced with renewed protests and representations, the country’s higher education regulator, University Grants Commission ( UGC) has decided to review the Delhi University’s undergraduate program.

The four-year undergraduate (FYUG) programme was introduced in the Delhi University last year amidst severe criticism and opposition from a section of the teachers’ association and students.

Sources said the decision to go in for a review was taken by the full commission at its meeting on Friday. However, a decision is yet to be taken on whether the UGC would conduct the review or assign it to the standing committee set up to monitor the new undergraduate programme.

The standing committee, set up as a response to the criticism, was tasked with monitoring the implementation of the programme and advising the university on its curriculum and other issues.

ET had earlier reported the ministry was planning to refer all representations made on the DU’s undergraduate programme to a standing committee of the UGC.

The UGC’s decision comes close on the heels of HRD minister Smriti Irani statement that the ministry would not interfere with the university’s autonomy and ask it to roll back the four-year undergraduate program.

“Time-and-again, I have re-iterated this issue that the DU is an autonomous institution, hence for me to transgress into their territory would not be advisable,” the minister had said.

Irani, who had been approached by elected representatives of the DUSU and DUTA with representations against the program, had said she had “taken a note of their plight and the challenges teachers and students are facing.