New Delhi: Delhi University has refused to budge from its stand on Four Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) notwithstanding University Grants Commission (UGC) seeking its review.
The commission has now conveyed the varsity`s stand to the HRD Ministry and is awaiting a direction from it.
At its full commission meeting on June 13, UGC had asked DU to review the programme as it felt that it was in violation of the national policy on education which follows the 10-plus 2-plus 3 pattern.
DU, however, stood by the programme and in a reply to the commission has maintained that it has followed due procedure in its implementation by carrying out necessary amendments to an university ordinance.
Going by rule, the Visitor`s (the President) approval is required for an amendment to a university ordinance.
In this case, it remains unclear whether such an approval had come through, officials said, conceding the issue was increasingly getting caught in a legal tangle and not confined as an academic matter any more.
UGC is also understood to have sought some more clarifications from DU on the ordinance issue.
According to Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA), which is opposing the programme, amendment to legislations governing the central universities is also mandated before rolling out such a programme. No measures were initiated in this regard.
The association further referred to the UGC Act saying, if an university wishes to award a degree other than the one specified by UGC, it would have to approach UGC for its approval six months prior to starting the degree programme with full justification for the course to be started.
DU had not followed any of such provisions and hence was "illegally" running the programme, they said.
On the other hand, protest continued today against the programme by various student bodies and teachers associations.
DUTA along with several student organisations such as AIDSO, AISA, AISF, CYSS, DSU, INSO, KYS, NEFIS, PACHHAS, SFI and SYS gathered at the Arts Faculty Gate at North Campus demanding immediate roll back of the FYUP and the VC`s resignation.
