Four-year undergraduate programme rollback decision will boomerang on NDA: Congress

SRINAGAR: Terming the UGC directive on the rollback of the four-year undergraduate programme as a decision taken in "haste", Congress today said the step was going to "boomerang" on the BJP-led NDA government.

"That is something is non-application of mind and its going to boomerang," Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters here when asked about the decision on reverting to three-year undergraduate courses from the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) implemented last year.

The roll back of the contentious FYUP was part of the Delhi BJP manifesto.

Azad said, the BJP-led NDA government should implement its manifesto only after going into the details of the benefits it will accrue to people.

He said while the issue was part of the Delhi BJP election manifesto, the government should not act in "haste" while implementing its poll promises.

"Every party is bound to implement its manifesto. Before the election you promise so many things but when you come to power, it is not the first week or the first month that you will try to implement without going into the details. This is such a sensitive thing," Azad said.

He said there were around 60,000 students who have taken admission under the new course duration. "And now all of a sudden without taking a decision on what will happen to these students, you reverse the decision."

Azad expressed hope that the decisions on poll promises will be made only after taking sentiments of the people and benefits to them into account.

"I am sure in future also whatever they have promised in their manifesto they will give deep thought and then try to implement those parts of the manifesto. I don't think it is just implementation of the manifesto just for the sake of implementing it. The priority should be given to the sentiments and benefits of the people of the country will accrue out of that decision, not just to simply please their bosses," he added.

Congress General Secretary Ambika Soni said there is need for a discussion in universities across country on the issue and a decision should be taken only after that.