Rehan Khan
The Executive Council of Delhi University is set to make a pivotal decision on 3rd August regarding the academic structure of its four-year undergraduate program. According to a report by the Times of India, this decision will determine whether students will retain the freedom to choose subjects for their minor degree courses, or if certain subjects will be made mandatory under the revised syllabi of the Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS).
Annexure 4.23 of the Executive Council’s agenda proposes that specific subjects within the minor degree courses be classified as “mandatory” for students to qualify for the minor degree. This proposal has sparked significant concern among the university’s faculty, leading to a divide within the institution.
A senior faculty member from a North Campus college criticized the rationale behind this proposal. The faculty member argued that the imposition of mandatory subjects contradicts the flexibility and interdisciplinary approach promised under the National Education Policy 2020. “To obtain the minor degree, students will inevitably have to choose these mandatory subjects. This raises several questions. Why impose these subjects if the purpose is to offer a flexible choice? Previously, students had the liberty to select any subject from a list, but this change undermines the essence of the Choice-Based Credit System,” the faculty member stated.
Furthermore, the faculty member pointed out inconsistencies in the proposed revisions. “The document also indicates that the placement of certain papers has been altered. In one college, this would result in a subject being taught again under ‘mandatory’ that has already been covered in the main course,”.
This proposed change has significant implications for the first batch of students currently in their fifth semester. Professor K. Ratnabali, the Dean of Academic Activities and Projects at DU, stated, “The revised system will be flexible for the batch entering the fifth semester. We do not want to The agenda proposes that certain subjects in the course should be treated as “mandatory” in the revised syllabi, for the students to be awarded under the Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS). Annexure 4.23 of the EC agenda states that some subjects have been marked as “mandatory to get a minor degree.”
The final decision by DU’s Executive Committee will significantly impact the academic trajectory of many students.