DU top body members urge VC to amend new curriculum – Times of India

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.
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 the UGCF has been “haphazardly made” by an “extra-statutory” body – NEP cell.

“The University of Delhi has been a premier institution, widely acclaimed for a high standard of teaching, learning and research.

“However, based on New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) 2022 has been haphazardly made by an extra-statutory body, ie NEP Cell leading to the dilution of academic rigour,” the letter read.

The members said that the UGCF, as approved, stands to adversely affect the teacher-workload and academic rigour.

They said that the new curriculum will lead to a massive displacement of teachers, especially of those employed on ad hoc basis.

“As per authentic information, the student-teacher ratio is being doubled in comparison to the present student-teacher ratio across subject/discipline by the UGC and hence, the University of Delhi.

“This will drastically reduce workload leading to massive displacement of teachers, especially those working in ad hoc capacity,” read the letter.

The members also suggested that the DU’s recent directives that no ad hoc or guest teacher’s appointment will happen till every teacher takes 16 periods per week will lead to a “situation based on drastically underestimating the importance of quality research which ignores the importance of research done by the faculty members.”

The members also said the total weightage of core papers to merely 45 and 50 per cent will reduce the workload.

“The total weightage of core papers in CBCS/LOCF (Choice Based Credit System/ Learning Outcome Based Curriculum Framework) is 70-75 per cent but in the current UGCF 2022, it is merely 45-50 per cent. This will reduce the workload,” they said.

The letter argued that the reduction of overall credit from 196 to 176 in four years and 148 to 132 in three years would lead to a significant decrease in the workload.

The members also said that 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, or 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.