DUTA demands rollback of Choice Based Credit System

New Delhi: Even as the HRD ministry has called a crucial meeting of VCs on July 7 to discuss implementation of the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS), Delhi University's Teachers Association (DUTA) yet again demanded the rollback of the programme.

The varsity had passed a proposal of implementing the CBCS from ensuing academic session, in its Executive Council (EC) last month. However, the teachers' body has been crying foul over the manner in which the EC gave its nod.

"Grave illegalities would be committed in case CBCS is implemented in Delhi University now. The students can only be admitted to courses which exist as on date and no ordinances exist as yet for courses under CBCS," DUTA President Nandita Narain said in a statement.

"Admissions and examination forms on the basis of existing three year semester courses are being filled in various colleges including Ramjas, Hindu, Satyawati, Dyal Singh College, Kirori Mal and Deshbandhu College. But the students do not even know what course are they going to study when the session begins," she added.

DUTA has been drawing parallels between the now defunct Four Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) and CBCS and has been alleging that the students are being treated as guinea pigs for this experiment.

The debate regarding the CBCS is intensifying with a section of academic fraternity rejecting the proposed reforms in the education system as a "crackdown on varsities' autonomy".

Abha Dev Habib, an EC member called the UGC exercise of drafting common syllabi for CBCS, a sham.

"UGC can neither show application of mind nor pan India consultation. Implementation of CBCS should be first debated as a pointer in the New Education Policy and a wider consultation should be held before it is implemented in universities across India," she said.

Dismissing the contention of crackdown on the autonomy of institutions, UGC had earlier this month said that "nothing contrary has been suggested in the template of the syllabi so designed by the experts" and had offered to let the universities deviate 30 per cent from a common syllabus it has laid down, improving on an offer of 20 per cent made earlier.