DUTA Strikes, Sememster Sytems and Students
While most of us seem to be enjoying an off day when there should actually be college, The Delhi University Teachers’
Association (DUTA) is rallying hard against the implementation of the semester system in the Delhi University. Since
the week beginning 15th August, there has been a strike called by the DUTA almost every succeeding week to protest
the Vice-Chancellor’s decision to implement the semester system in DU.
In a bid to reach out to the students who have so far been very apathetic to the entire issue and who seem to be enjoying
the holidays rather than being worried about the situation, DUTA held open sessions in some colleges, explaining why
they were on strike and their 13-point agenda. Several relevant points were raised leading to serious doubts on the
feasibility of the semester system.
The new system alters the course structure of various courses, which are equivalent to their counterparts in Universities
like Oxford and Cambridge. This means that after completing graduation here, a student can take up admissions in
these universities without wasting time and funds doing another degree here to make it acceptable to universities
abroad. While the semester system may benefit all those students who wish to go abroad for further studies, it will still
be beneficial for only a minority.
While the VC is proud of the number of scholarships increasing to 22 from 11, what is going conveniently unnoticed
is the implicit fee hike for many courses in DU. What is also implicitly being suggested is the fact that there will be
no scope for revaluation of papers, and now the incentive to actually sit in class will be doubled to 10 from 5, without
really focusing on the quality that would make a student want to sit in class. Inter-disciplinaries will be given more
importance, contributing to one-third the total marks, diluting the essence of the honours courses.
While the University claims that Teachers are in favour of the system, it is only the Academic Council, which is
supporting the system. The academic council consists of teachers who no longer teach, nor do they evaluate the course
content to know what the practical requirements are. Teachers across colleges had rejected the proposal. Many colleges
don’t even have the infrastructure to support the semester system.
Implementation of the system has created severe confusion among students regarding the academic calendar and the
timing of the internal exams, winter holidays and fests. While most students enjoy strike days as holidays, there is a call
for wider student participation in the protest and more awareness regarding the same.
The outcome of the struggle is yet to be seen. But we hope that the dispute is settled and that students don’t suffer in
the bargain.
Rajneil Kamath
Janhavi Mittal
While most of us seem to be enjoying an off day when there should actually be college, The Delhi University Teachers’
Association (DUTA) is rallying hard against the implementation of the semester system in the Delhi University. Since
the week beginning 15th August, there has been a strike called by the DUTA almost every succeeding week to protest
the Vice-Chancellor’s decision to implement the semester system in DU.
In a bid to reach out to the students who have so far been very apathetic to the entire issue and who seem to be enjoying
the holidays rather than being worried about the situation, DUTA held open sessions in some colleges, explaining why
they were on strike and their 13-point agenda. Several relevant points were raised leading to serious doubts on the
feasibility of the semester system.
The new system alters the course structure of various courses, which are equivalent to their counterparts in Universities
like Oxford and Cambridge. This means that after completing graduation here, a student can take up admissions in
these universities without wasting time and funds doing another degree here to make it acceptable to universities
abroad. While the semester system may benefit all those students who wish to go abroad for further studies, it will still
be beneficial for only a minority.
While the VC is proud of the number of scholarships increasing to 22 from 11, what is going conveniently unnoticed
is the implicit fee hike for many courses in DU. What is also implicitly being suggested is the fact that there will be
no scope for revaluation of papers, and now the incentive to actually sit in class will be doubled to 10 from 5, without
really focusing on the quality that would make a student want to sit in class. Inter-disciplinaries will be given more
importance, contributing to one-third the total marks, diluting the essence of the honours courses.
While the University claims that Teachers are in favour of the system, it is only the Academic Council, which is
supporting the system. The academic council consists of teachers who no longer teach, nor do they evaluate the course
content to know what the practical requirements are. Teachers across colleges had rejected the proposal. Many colleges
don’t even have the infrastructure to support the semester system.
Implementation of the system has created severe confusion among students regarding the academic calendar and the
timing of the internal exams, winter holidays and fests. While most students enjoy strike days as holidays, there is a call
for wider student participation in the protest and more awareness regarding the same.
The outcome of the struggle is yet to be seen. But we hope that the dispute is settled and that students don’t suffer in
the bargain.
Rajneil Kamath
[email protected]
Janhavi Mittal
[email protected]
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