Here’s how the newly-introduced Four Year Undergraduate Programme is going to affect the students aspiring to study English literature and the course itself, at the University of Delhi:

Topics changed or added or removed
The number of papers for English Honours has been reduced from 23 to 20 that are included in the Discipline Courses1 (DC1). Choosing Popular Fiction or European Realism, Literary Theory or Modern European Drama has been done away with, and for good, since now the students have the opportunity to study varied literature. Choicelessness is definitely bliss here, especially for students who hope to study more and more literature.

Enriching or diluting?
With the addition of new material the course has definitely been enriched. There is a wider range in terms of the DC1 syllabus now.

Structure
The semester system will not be affected due to FYUP. Two semesters annually, much like the three-year system, with the addition of another year and two more semesters. In English, syllabus has been shuffled, new topics added and existing syllabus has been clubbed together.

More practical or theoretical now?
Through the Applied Courses, there is scope for a more practical knowledge rather than the theoretical study of DC1 and DC2. Class presentations and discussions, if conducted properly, regularly and for everybody, will surely help the students in fields outside the theoretical realm of the course that is English Honours.

Affect on students
Covering all the topics within the stipulated time might turn out to be a Herculean task, leaving behind only those students who can handle the pressure and time crunch.

Exit points
The option of leaving the course after two years will produce a large number of students who will not have a proper degree or qualification in terms of employability. It cannot be determined whether a person who has studied English literature for only two years might be able to land up a good job; the chances do not seem very appealing.

Employability
Expansion of the course will definitely be able to help students of English in gaining better jobs, provided that the student covers all four years of the course.

Final verdict
FYUP has taken the University with a storm, and the results can be determined only after four years have passed. Although it is felt that more time and discussions should have been spent on the Programme, many feel that FYUP is good for the students. The development of the syllabus has been done within few weeks, with not enough consideration given to how the colleges are going to manage faculty, time and space. Since this is how the system going to be now, we hope it turns out for the best.

(For analysis of other courses click here)