Smriti Irani defends move on DU undergrad programme

One of the reasons for reverting to the three-year undergraduate programme in Delhi University was to ensure that its students are not "put to any disadvantage" vis-a-vis students of other universities, Smriti Irani said.

New Delhi: One of the reasons for reverting to the three-year undergraduate programme in Delhi University was to ensure that its students are not "put to any disadvantage" vis-a-vis students of other universities, Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani told parliament Wednesday.

"The reasons for reverting to the three-year undergraduate degree in Delhi University included the need to comply with National Policy on Education 1986, ensure that students of Delhi University are not put to any disadvantage vis-a-vis students of other universities in terms of horizontal and vertical mobility and also in terms of employment opportunities," Irani said in the Rajya Sabha. She added that "employability criteria" was not the reason for reverting back to three year undergraduate degree. As reported by Delhi University (DU), the total number of students completing their graduation every year is more than 40,000, excluding students of School of Open Learning. DU has a Central Placement Cell (CPC) which gives options to the students of the university`s different colleges/departments get themselves registered with it. In 2013-14, out of the 6,729 registered students 1,200 were placed based in preliminary selections carried out by various employers. DU admits over 50,000 students under its undergraduate programme in 63 colleges. The admission to the varsity started July 21 after a tussle between the DU and the University Grants Commission over the university`s controversial four-year under-graduate programme (FYUP) started last year. The FYUP was rolled back June 27.