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NEP Funding Cuts: A Timeline

By Aastha Singh November 9, 2025

Five years after the National Education Policy declared an increase of 6% of the country’s GDP to be spent on education, higher education has seen multiple funding cuts across universities in India.

An increase from 2% of the previous years, the move to increase annual spending on public education was met with widespread approval from scholars and educators across India, and the incumbent ruling party posited the development as evidence of the government’s increased focus on increasing literacy rates, with an emphasis on ‘native education’ or the learning of indigenous Indian languages over English.

However, despite public education in schools seeing a gradual boost in funding, the same cannot be said for higher education in the public sphere. Five years after the pandemic, the ground reality of funding for public education seems to have changed for the worse, when in 2024-2025, in the interim budget announcement, the University Grants Commission (UGC)—the statutory body that recognises colleges and universities and allocates financial assistance to them—saw their budget slashed by over 60 per cent. From ₹6,409 crore in the previous years to approximately ₹2,500 crore, the cut is part of a larger overhaul of higher education funding that came with little explanation. Although the budget for school education has been increased by over Rs 500 crore, the grant for higher education has been reduced by over Rs 9600 crore from the previous fiscal year’s Revised Estimate (RE), according to the Press Trust of India.

The worst-affected seem to be some of India’s most prestigious universities: JNU’s funding seems to have increased—from ₹249 crore in 2014-15 to ₹309 crore in 2023-24. However, when viewed in the context of inflation, it has failed to keep up with rising costs. Between 2014 and 2024, inflation rose by 53.4%, yet JNU’s funding increased by only 24.48%, leading to an effective decline in available resources per student.

“I agree with some of NEP’s ideas on paper,” stated a lecturer from Delhi University, adding, “However, higher education bodies across the country were blindsided by the decision that education at the elementary level would come at the cost of other forms. A country cannot grow without its college students, and it’s high time the government realises that.”

Read Also: NEP’s Three-Language Formula for Schools
Image Credits: Devesh for DU Beat

Aastha Singh

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Features

NEP’s Three-Language Formula for Schools

By Aastha Singh November 9, 2025

First introduced in the 1960s, the Three-Language Formula was introduced as a part of India’s national education policy to promote national integration and multilingual competence.

Aiming to foster linguistic harmony and facilitate easy communication across state borders, the Three-Language-Formula and its execution did not match the rule’s implementation. It asked students to learn three languages—their native tongue, English and offered the choice between Hindi and Sanskrit. Many critiqued it for being another example of the disguised imposition of languages like Hindi and Sanskrit.

In 2020, the formula was revitalised with the aim of providing multilingual instruction in primary schools. In the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020, the student’s mother tongue was stated to be kept as the medium of instruction up until Grade 5, although the recommendation for it extended to Grade 8 and beyond. Despite stating that no language will be imposed on the student body, a ‘three-language formula,’ with a combination of English and two native Indian tongues is to be taught.

“Research clearly shows that children pick up languages extremely quickly between the ages of 2 and 8, and multilingualism has great benefit to young students with a focus on learning their mother tongue in early years…and with skills developed for reading and writing in other languages in Grade 3 and beyond,” the policy document explained. Despite the lack of obvious issues on the surface, many believe that NEP 2020 lays down the groundwork for the imposition of languages like Hindi and Sanskrit in ways that are difficult to detect but easier to find once one looks deeper into the mechanism of enforcement.

By stating that implementation is entirely a matter of subjectivity dependent on states, schools and institutions, NEP 2020’s policy on language bypasses the possible situations in languages like Hindi, and Sanskrit can take priority for educators as they see fit. In addition to this, the failure to acknowledge that learning to read and write requires deliberate effort from not just the children but the adults teaching those children as well, puts undue pressure on school teachers who are stretched thin working in schools that are short-staffed.

The official policy document made informal comparisons to other languages in an effort to assert, as it stated, “the importance, relevance, and beauty of the classical languages and literature of India [which] also cannot be overlooked.”

It added, “Sanskrit, while also an important modern language mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India, possesses a classical literature that is greater in volume than that of Latin and Greek put together.” It went on to highlight the, “vast treasures of mathematics, philosophy, grammar, music, politics, medicine, architecture, metallurgy, drama, poetry, storytelling, and more (known as ‘Sanskrit Knowledge Systems’).”

The policy document was critiqued by many for emphasising Sanskrit over other languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, while simultaneously emphasising the language’s ‘classical literature’ over everyday usability and the number of speakers.

This formula was met with widespread criticism by many who believe that Sanskrit is being allotted undue institutional support, despite being spoken by only about twenty-five thousand individuals in the country. The central government spent more than ₹2532.59 crore on the promotion of Sanskrit between 2014-15 and 2024-25, seventeen times the combined spending of ₹147.56 crore on the other five classical Indian languages: Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia. This information was obtained by Hindustan Times through a Right to Information (RTI) application and from public records.

The policy’s vision is “to instil among the learners a deep-rooted pride in being Indian, not only in thought, but also in spirit, intellect and deeds, as well as to develop knowledge, skill, and values, and dispositions that support responsible commitment to human rights, sustainable development and living, and global wellbeing, thereby truly a global citizen.” It does not account for enriching students with the knowledge of languages that are most relevant to the globalised chain of command, instead relying heavily on the nostalgic reproduction of a forgotten past, and righting the wrongs of an inexistent history.

Image Credits: The News Minute

Aastha Singh
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Admission Season

Delhi University Relaxes Criteria for Minor Subject Selection Under UGCF

By DU Beat July 31, 2025

Delhi University introduces greater flexibility in minor subject selection under UGCF, removing GE paper restrictions to promote interdisciplinary learning and ease progression to postgraduate studies.

In a significant academic reform aligned with the principles of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Delhi University (DU) has announced greater flexibility for undergraduate students in choosing their minor disciplines under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF). The university released a notification on Tuesday making it clear that students will no longer be required to opt for specific General Elective (GE) papers in order to pursue a particular subject as a minor.

Until now, students aiming to take up a subject as a minor had to select related GE papers in earlier semesters. This often restricted academic freedom, particularly for those wishing to explore disciplines outside their primary area of study. The latest move by DU removes this limitation, thus widening the scope for interdisciplinary education. According to the official notification, the minor can now be chosen independent of the GE papers taken earlier. This change is expected to benefit students who are aiming for postgraduate studies in fields apart from their major, as it will now be easier to qualify for diverse academic paths without being confined by past elective choices.

A senior university official explained that the structure was originally implemented to uphold academic standards and ensure that students had sufficient subject familiarity before applying for postgraduate programs.

This reform is part of a broader shift in Indian higher education policy. The University Grants Commission (UGC) recently introduced new guidelines that promote flexibility and student autonomy in selecting both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. The 2025 UGC reforms have made it clear that any student, regardless of their academic background, can pursue a postgraduate course in any discipline, provided they clear the requisite entrance examination. In this context, Delhi University’s step appears both timely and in alignment with national academic trends.

For students, the revised policy means greater agency in shaping their academic trajectory. A student majoring in political science, for instance, can now opt for a minor in economics or philosophy without having taken prior GE papers in those disciplines. However, sceptics believe that this will result in a non-proficient academic career. A student who would obtain a minor in a non-parent subject would not be acquainted with this discipline well enough. Having studied GE papers of one subject would at least instill a sense of familiarity with the discipline.

Feature Image source- Telegraph India

Madhav Choudhary

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Campus Central

The Story of Two Exceptional CUET Batches: From a Senior to a Junior

By DU Beat September 17, 2023

The last two batches have faced unique hurdles from CUET that are unfamiliar to everyone else. So, here is a letter full of warmth written by a senior to a junior that will help the freshmen to overcome their anxiety. We got you!

Since the results of the CUET 2023 exam were released a month ago, there has been a tinge of nostalgia in the air for the Pilot Batch of CUET students. Only 8-9 months ago, we experienced the same emotions as our juniors. The paradox I experienced on the day of orientation was looking at the strange faces of juniors and finding myself there.

As a new semester began, a fresh batch of students, full of energy and excitement, toured the campus that would be their home for the next four years. They look out the creamy white corridors of my college at the high ceiling classrooms and lush green lawns. They are witnessing their seniors’ soft, welcoming smiles and the worried expressions on the faces of their classmates.

I can still feel the overwhelming emotions, anxiety, and excitement that coming in as a fresher brought about. Even while you may be eager for the future as a freshmen, there is a hidden despair. That could be the sadness of leaving your home or the stress of not knowing what lies ahead.

I’ve been in your shoes, so I understand this struggle to choose between happiness and confusion. So, before I take the role of a senior who advises juniors on these life’s curiosities, let me give you a warm hug and assure you that what you are feeling is valid. Feeling overwhelmed and exhausted is reasonable given the obstacles we had to overcome on the way.

The recent batches have faced some uncommon difficulties, including fighting the pandemic and learning online away from the comfort of a school and its warm memories. None of the previous batches had ever gone through this. In a same manner, my class of 2022 was juggling double exams and online classes. As our teachers struggled with these new adjustments, I recall how my other peers and I felt utterly unprepared to handle them. We all worked to achieve the best grades in the face of huge competition to get into this prestigious 100-year-old university.

The atmosphere around us, which is preoccupied with the idea of an ideal education and career, compels us to think about whether the suffering we are presently going through is worthy. However, the introduction of CUET was what really put our determination to the test.

Its sudden advent changed this belief system of getting good grades in the 12th system. We had no experience with competitive tests, in contrast to our peers in the Science and Math fields who had been preparing for their entrance tests for the previous two years. In our field, we are the first two batches to face this new task, which made us more anxious due to the limited resources and lack of experience from our teachers and seniors. Life taught us patience in the midst of this uncertainty and confusion.

As I followed this year’s exam as well, it felt like déjà vu to see the same things happening again, this time with juniors. The social media overloading students with information, while coaching offered a wide range of courses. The rank predictors were constantly evaluating grades and worth, and NTA’s websites crashed frequently, adding to our anxiety.

This time, I was delighted and grateful that I could help my juniors with this procedure, but at the same time, I was thinking immediately of the conversations I had with my seniors and how they told me that this system was completely foreign to them. They exclaimed, “Thank God! This didn’t occur with our batch” it matched with my exclamations of “Why our batch?” Our paths and experiences just diverged so much within a year that they were no longer related. Despite their best efforts to assist us, we were aware that we needed to prepare for the difficulties ahead. This year, a special senior-junior relationship was developing as we introduced our juniors to the idea of preference lists, informed them of the realities of college, and provided them with advice on how to ace the entrance exam.

As a new batch embarks on a new journey, I understand the plethora of emotions and doubts you are confronted with. Believe me when I say that your Batch 2022 seniors are the best people to talk to about this. I can relate to you even more when you ask naïve questions and show your apprehension because I did the same things just a few months ago. What I can tell you is that you must allow yourself to experience each of these emotions and allow the reality to sink in. Yet don’t sit around lamenting about these issues. This is the stage when anything is possible if you just take more risks and learn from your mistakes.

I also want you to know that taking competitive tests will teach you a lot of things, but the most essential lesson is learning to believe in yourself despite the little voice in your head that tells you differently.

Please remember that you can’t plan everything. It’s okay to take a step back, choose the second-best option, or modify your plans if that’s what you want to do. I want you to remember that not everyone gets into the colleges of their dreams, and that worrying about it is futile. Some of us will also be accepted to our preferred colleges, which may be disappointing if your expectations and the reality fail to match.

It can take you months to adjust to the new circumstances, and you don’t have to necessarily love all of it. What you can do is just identify things that make you happy and make good use of the resources you have.

You should also be aware that your interactions with your classmates and teachers won’t be determined by your CUET score or percentage of the 12th board. People will evaluate you and determine whether they want to be your friends based on who you are and how you treat them, regardless of how well you performed. Be honest to yourself and your goals.

And every time you think you can’t manage something or that it’s too much, go to the classrooms on the floor above you. There will be a group of students, your seniors from Batch 2022, who can identify with your problems and hear about your experiences. They will guide you and assist you as you go. By taking a look at them, you’ll be able to see how they overcame these obstacles and how you can too. They will admire your courage and patience. Then, perhaps, a senior CUET student and a fresher CUET student will walk to the canteen and talk over hot momos and coke.

Perhaps maintaining the warmth between senior and junior relationships is something that CUET couldn’t change.

And if you ever get in touch with me, I’ll give you the same advice my senior gave me: “Time flies fast; instead of overthinking, enjoy your life as a fresher; it is temporary.”

I’m hoping you’ll stick to it.

With love,

Your senior

CUET Batch 2022

Image Credits : New Indian Express

-Priya Agrawal

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Campus Central

The Spirit of B.El.Ed Program – AIFRTE’s Stand on Cancellation of B.El.Ed by Delhi University!

By Ankita Baidya June 9, 2023

The implementation of ITEP and the elimination of other teacher training courses such as B.El.Ed courses by Delhi University without consultation is being contested by students and academics who think the program is unique in its own way and that introducing ITEP doesn’t require the elimination of other programs.

The All India Forum for Right to Education ( AIFRTE ) conducted a webinar on’ Introduction of ITEP and against the cancellation of B.El.Ed.’ on May 30, 2023 (Tuesday) at 7 pm. The discussion took place live on Zoom platform and was also broadcasted on Facebook and YouTube page of AIFRTE. The list of speakers included – Prof Krishna Kumar (Renowned educationist & Former Director, NCERT) , Prof Poonam Batra (Expert in Elementary Education & Co-creator of the framework of B.El.Ed, Prof Latika Gupta (Prof in Dept of Education, Delhi University) and Prachi Gupta (Student of B.El.Ed., DU). More than a hundred people participated in the live debate, with many actively sharing their opinions through the comments, including several B.El.Ed students and professors.

The backdrop of the discussion was the adoption of ITEP ( (Integrated Teacher Education Program) by the Delhi University Academic Council on 26^th May, 2023 overruling objections raised by many elected teacher representatives, protesting students, and expert opinions.

ITEP was launched by NCTE ( National Council for Teacher Education ) under NEP 2020 scarping all the existing teacher training courses and to be adopted as the single course in the entire country. Experts have highlighted how it can weaker in terms of pedagogic training and how it is a threat to courses like B.Ed. and B.El.Ed.

The conversation centred on the future of B.El.Ed programmes and how a systematic dismantling of prior structures and efforts to reform the education system is detrimental in many ways. It also emphasised the program’s values and how it helped the learning process.

Mr Jagmohan, the webinar’s host, began by introducing everyone. He also briefly stated how, from the commencement of NEP 2020, the main attack has been on how teachers will be prepared for it. Furthermore, it has now come down to teacher training for the same.

Prof Krishna Kumar, an experienced educationist and one of the oldest professionals to share his knowledge on the matter, opened the discussion.

At this point it is important to remember that B.El.Ed was born in struggle and has faced various struggles all along its short history of three decades. Some hurdles like the concept of elementary that was not easily digested at the time the program began. I remember how Prof Upendra Baxi steered the discussion with his great legal skills and was able to convince the council of what will the program do. Over time, it has faced various hurdles, but today we are facing a new kind of uncertainty.

– Prof Krishna Kumar

He mentions there are apprehensions on ITEP replacing courses like B.El.Ed but on the other hand there is a constant difficulty of faculty shortage. Prof Krishna Kumar states an important point the nowhere in the NEP policy it is mentioned that the ITEP will replace all the teaching courses, rather the general tone suggests that there will be multiple roots for teachers to be trained and prepared for jobs. This is not a threat to courses like B.El.Ed as it is well established and is widely accepted.

The university has underestimated the achievements and values of the program which has benefited both teachers and students. Delhi university has no dearth of colleges to start with its ITEP program, there is no point in killing one innovation to start with the other.

– Prof Krishna Kumar

Later on, He highlights the importance of the course by saying that nobody else in teacher education have the kind of theoretical command and the insights in pedagogy like the B.El.Ed graduates.

Prof Latika Gupta then recounts her own experience with how the Course presented so many new concepts and how, despite the fact that the country has changed so much, the programme has maintained its true spirit and enthusiasm throughout its duration.

This course is an existence in itself, which drives all of us together. The recent graduates and students must overcome this round of crisis. Maybe this is an opportunity to re organize and start fresh.

– Prof Latika Gupta

Several additional B.El.Ed students joined the discussion and highlighted how the degree empowered them and helped them to choose the finest ideas to share with the students. The programme serves as a model for not only imparting theoretical knowledge and training, but also building confidence and motivation to ask tough questions.

B.El.Ed has taught me how to make education more engaging and not boring, art and theatre has helped me in incorporating expression inside the classroom so that I could help my learners be more expressive and creative.

– A student who shared her experience during the webinar.

Prof Poonam Batra joined the conversation and expressed her concern about the teacher training course’s existential crises and how the elimination of such programmes might compromise children’s learning. She claims that teacher education is an easy target, and that if other higher education systems take the area, we are likely to lost the battle for our students. She recalls how well-crafted the curriculum was and how well developed its integration was, allowing for both interdisciplinary learning as well as theoretical and practical approaches of study.

The core subjects of B.El.Ed have significant contributions as it allows young students to revisit what they learnt in school and this time understand it from an epistemological viewpoint, It is about Knowledge generation and engagement.

– Prof Poonam Batra.

Another AIFRTE team member expressed his concerns about how the disintegration of the education system without consultation is an assault on the learning process, academicians, and students. He emphasises the importance of coming together to fight such acts. There is an increasing need to convey to individuals the consequences of such activities.

Mr. Jagmohan concluded the discussion by encouraging everyone to be optimistic and to participate in the struggle.

Link for full Discussion – https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1221617085188263

Read also – https://dubeat.com/?s=B.El.Ed+

Image credits – News click, Google images

Priya Agrawal

[email protected]

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Campus Central

Divided Opinion on Karl Marx: Another Debate at Delhi University Over Syllabus

By DU Beat May 31, 2023

Professors express concern over modifications to the economics curriculum, while the VC claims that it is an attempt to provide students with more options.

Following controversies over removing a chapter on Muhammad Iqbal and adding Savarkar in the syllabus for Political Science students, the University made another move that has sparked criticism. The changes made to the economics syllabus for undergrad students at Delhi University have not been accepted by many, and members of the University’s Academic Council have expressed their concerns.

The two elective papers that caused this debate are Economy, State, and Society and Production Relations and Globalization. These papers contain sections on Karl Marx which the members felt were identical. One of the Academic Council members, Monami Sinha, highlighted that these works are not similar and that Karl Marx is an integral part of the subject. Marx made one of the most significant contributions to the field with his theories that led to the formation of Marxism, although he, like many others, defined production relations, which are explored in the papers cited above.

Furthermore, Sinha claims that this should be viewed from the perspective of an academician and that one cannot and should not remove parts from the curriculum just because they do not align with their ideologies.

“Even if one wants to criticise the theory, it should be taught to students first. The VC has now constituted a committee where this will be revisited. It was suggested that we teach other models as well, which we are already doing” states Monami Sinha.

Yogesh Singh, the Vice-Chancellor of DU, also spoke during the discussion and clarified the situation. He claims that the University should be a platform that provides students with a variety of options and that they are in the process of incorporating other US and European models to broaden the base. He notes that the Core papers contain features of Karl Marx that are already being taught and that there are no changes to that. The goal was to provide students with more options through elective papers.

The committee has previously approved elective papers on Karl Marx and is attempting to introduce new models for students that would include Ambedkar and Gandhi’s economic ideas.

It appears from these statements that the University aims to extend the learning matter for students and that their preferences will be prioritised.

These curriculum changes made for the four-year degrees under the New Education Policy have been strongly discussed among academic circles in recent days. VD Savarkar’s ideals will be taught before Gandhi’s in Semester V, while Gandhi’s will be taught in Semester VII. This would imply that students pursuing a three-year degree curriculum would be unable to study Gandhi.

According to a recent declaration from the VC, this approach has been reversed, implying that the paper on Gandhi will be taught in the fourth semester, followed by Ambedkar and Savarkar in the next two.

With these recent developments, professors and students have continued to express their ideas and concerns about the overall shift and how it may effect students’ learning.

Image credits: Mint, Google images

Priya Agrawal

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Campus Central

Gandhi Replaced with Savarkar in BA Syllabus; Row Erupts in DU

By DU Beat May 29, 2023

Currently preparing the syllabi for four-year programmes for several subjects under the National Education Policy, Delhi University has replaced a paper on Mahatma Gandhi in semester V of BA (Hons) Political Science with one on Hindutva ideologue, VD Savarkar leading to a lot of discontent among academic circles.

The National Education Policy introduced the concept of a four-year degree course of eight semesters following which, the University is now currently devising a formal syllabus for all subjects. What caused great discontent among the academic circle, was the replacement of Gandhi with Savarkar in the BA Political Science (Hons) curriculum. The ideologies of VD Savarkar will now be taught in semester V while Mahatma Gandhi has been shifted to semester VII, allege several DU teachers, adding that this would mean students opting for a three-year graduation course instead of a four-year programme will not study Gandhi.

The motion in this regard was passed at the Academic Council meeting on Friday, May 26, inviting heavy dissatisfaction among a section of teachers, who deemed it as a ‘saffronisation’ of education and an ‘attempt to compare Gandhi and Savarkar’. The final call in this matter will be taken by the Executive Council, the highest decision-making body in DU.

Previously, the curriculum included a paper on Gandhi in semester V and Ambedkar in semester VI. However, the council also decided to introduce Savarkar in the syllabus, under the National Education Policy. Academic Council member, Alok Pandey commented that the proposal to teach Savarkar in semester V at the ‘cost’ of Gandhi was disagreed upon in the standing committee meeting, where it was decided to teach Gandhi in semester V, Savarkar in VI and Ambedkar in VII, as per their age chronology. However, the resolution was brought to the Academic Council meeting despite the disagreement.

Opposing the move, Rajesh Jha, a former Executive Council member said that students should be exposed to Gandhi in initial semesters to develop ‘critical thinking’ as Gandhian ideas are ‘inclusive’ and ‘reflect the collective consciousness of our freedom struggle’. He also adds that Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy ‘stands for good politics as well as good individuals’ and hence, teaching Gandhi before Savarkar would have prepared students to understand the latter’s thought in a ‘broader and more balanced perspective.’

As per the PTI review, ‘Understanding Gandhi’ was previously a paper in semester V which aimed to acquaint students with the social and political thoughts of the Mahatma. The course objective mentions that the themes in Gandhian thought that are chosen for close reading are ‘particularly relevant to our times.’

While all these issues have been burning, the Vice Chancellor, Yogesh Singh refused several PTI calls to comment on the matter.

Several such major shifts have been observed in the syllabus of other courses as well, as the University gradually revamps its educational curriculum according to the National Education Policy, leading to growing discontent among teachers and students alike.

Featured Image Credits: DU Updates (Google Images)

Priyanka Mukherjee

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Campus Central

St. Stephen’s College at War Again With DU; HC Defers St. Stephen’s Plea over Minority Admissions

By DU Beat May 29, 2023

St. Stephen’s College and the University are battling again on the prospectus of admission procedure for minority students. The Delhi High Court deferred St. Stephen’s plea against the university’s notification for securing admissions solely based on CUET scores, including minority students.

On 24 May 2023, the Delhi High Court deferred St. Stephen’s College and Jesus and Mary College’s (JMC) plea insisting against Delhi University’s (DU) notification to conduct the admissions solely based on the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) test scores. The petition has been deferred to 23 August 2023, with the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Yogesh Singh stating that the admission process will go forward based on the notification issued by the University with the CUET being the sole criteria for admissions.

They can go ahead with the admission, but the university will not recognise the admission

-the Vice Chancellor said while asked about the admission prospectus of St. Stephen’s where 50% of the seats are guaranteed for minority students based on an 85% weightage to CUET and a 15% weightage to the interviews.

The bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma was also listed for hearing on the same date when JMC filed for a similar petition. A woman named Sharon Ann George also filed a petition against the conduction of interviews for minority students for admission in addition to the interviews.

All three matters we cannot touch. There is an SLP (special leave petition). We will not touch it. The matter is pending before the apex court

-commented the bench, also comprising Justice Subramonium Prasad.

The court stated that the parties can approach the top court to redress their grievances.

It has been brought to the notice of the court that against the judgement (in cases about admission to St Stephen’s College), an SLP has been filed in the apex court. In light of the SLP, hearing of cases is deferred

-stated the court.

In the academic year of 2022-23, the university and St. Stephen’s were involved in a legal case where St. Stephen’s insisted on conducting interviews of 15% weightage for all students rather than only the minority students. However, the university permitted them to only conduct interviews for 50% of the minority students.

The high court ruled in favour of the university and issued a fresh admission prospectus instructing the colleges to admit students based on 100% CUET scores. St. Stephen’s filed a separate appeal before the Supreme Court contending that as a minority educational institution, its right to conduct the admission process can not be disrupted in any way.

The impugned decision of the University denying the petitioner College its right to conduct interviews for admission to undergraduate courses in the minority category is contrary to the judgment of this Hon’ble Court dt. 12.09.2022 in W.P. (C) No. 8814/2022 in St. Stephen’s College Vs University of Delhi which recognized the Petitioner’s right to select students of minority category by conducting interviews–the petition stated.

The petition was subsequently rejected. The apex court also directed all colleges to secure admissions for the general category based on CUET scores only. The college later conducted interviews carrying a weightage of 15% only for Christian students.

For the academic year 2023-24, the admissions will be secured solely based on CUET scores. Owing to this, the university stated that one college out of the 62 colleges can not conduct a separate admission process and a uniform procedure needs to be implemented across all colleges and student categories.

For Christian minority candidates, the college will adopt the marks secured in the CUET with 85% weightage and the college’s interview for shortlisted candidates with a weightage of 15%. This is as per and by the judgement of the division bench of the Hon’ble Delhi High Court dated 12.09.2022. The Christian minority applicant must register on St. Stephen’s College’s admissions portal as and when the registration form is ready

-stated the prospectus issued by St. Stephen’s for the conduction of the academic year 2023-24 admissions.

For the general category candidates, admission will be solely based on CUET scores. JMC is yet to take a stance on how it will proceed with the admission process.

Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Sri Sidhvi Dindi

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Campus Central

DU passes motion to drop chapter on “Saare Jahan Se Achha” poet Muhammad Iqbal

By DU Beat May 29, 2023

In a recent move, Delhi University’s Academic Council has decided to scrap a chapter on Mohd. Iqbal, who is often assumed to initiate the idea of Pakistan. Simultaneously, the University has approved the setting up the new Partition, Hindu, and Tribal study centres.

On May 26, Delhi University’s Academic Council (AC) approved a motion to eliminate a chapter on Pakistan’s national poet -Muhammad Iqbal- writer of the celebrated song “Saare Jahan Se Achha”. The chapter titled ‘Modern India Political Thought’ was part of the political science syllabus for a sixth-semester paper for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A) program. The decision for its removal was taken during the University’s 1014th Academic Council meeting. The proposal, however, will need to receive final approval from DU’s Executive Council (EC), which is expected to meet next on June 9.

A motion was brought regarding a change in the syllabus of political science. As per the motion, there was a chapter on Iqbal that has been removed from the syllabus.

– stated a member of the Academic Council.

Muhammad Iqbal, born in 1877 in undivided India, was considered the brain behind the idea of Pakistan. Often referred to as the honorific Allama, he was a widely recognised Urdu and Persian poet in the Indian subcontinent. According to India Today, Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Yogesh Singh commented that “those who laid the foundation to break India should not be in the syllabus” and emphasised teaching Dr.Bhimrao Ambedkar and others. Reportedly, the House unanimously approved the Vice Chancellor’s proposal.

Among the 11 units part of the syllabus, the one on Iqbal titled ‘Iqbal: Community’, was reviewed by the Press Trust of India (PTI), as reported by the Mint. The course intends to study important themes through individual thinkers, some of which include Rammohan Roy, Pandita Ramabai, Swami Vivekananda, and Mahatma Gandhi.

The course has been designed to give students a glimpse into the richness and diversity within Indian political thought. The thematic exploration of ideas is meant to locate the topical debates on important subjects on a historical trajectory and reflect over the diverse possibilities exhibited in the writings of the respective thinkers.

– the syllabus mentions.

According to sources, DU registrar Vikas Gupta mentioned that the proposals for establishing various new centres were also approved in the council meeting on Friday.

Proposals on setting up of centers for Partition, Hindu, and Tribal Studies have been passed. Mohd Iqbal has been dropped from the syllabus

– DU registrar Vikas Gupta

However, 5 members of the Council, claiming the ideas as “divisive”, opposed the proposal for Partition Studies. They stated that such a discussion would only “provide an opportunity for venomous communal speeches,”.

The proposal for the center is meant to be divisive. Its objective states that the center will study past invasions, suffering, and slavery over 1300 years. It is offensive, communally divisive, and intellectually coherent

– asserted a statement signed by 5 members of the AC, according to the Hindustan Times

The Delhi unit of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) issued a statement welcoming the decision to scrap Iqbal – a “fanatic theological scholar” – from the syllabus.

Mohd Iqbal is called ‘the philosophical father of Pakistan’. He was the key player in establishing Jinnah as a leader in Muslim League. Mohd. Iqbal is as responsible for India’s Partition as Mohammad Ali Jinnah is.

– a statement issued by ABVP on the matter.

The recommendations for the fourth, fifth, and sixth semesters of various courses under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) 2022 were also passed during the meeting. Additionally, the University held deliberations on its decision to adopt the four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) from the 2023-24 session.

Featured Image Credits: World Bulletin

Manvi Goel

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DTF Holds Press Conference to Discuss DU’s Proposal of Implementing ITEP

By DU Beat May 25, 2023

The Democratic Teachers’ Front comes forward with criticism and highlights hasty decision-making with regard to the implementation of Integrated Teacher Education Programme by the DU Academic Council.

A press conference was organised on 24^th May 2023 at the Press Club by the Democratic Teachers’ Front to highlight concerns and discuss the impact of Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) by the varsity. This conference comes ahead of the Delhi University Academic Council’s meeting to be held on Friday, 26^th May 2023 regarding the implementation of ITEP.

ITEP is a flagship four-year “dual-major holistic undergraduate degree” of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) under NEP 2020. ITEP will be replacing DU’s Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed) programme which was introduced in 1994. Currently, only eight colleges offer this programme which is unique to the varsity – Shyama Prasad Mukherji College for Women, Jesus and Mary College, Mata Sundari College, Aditi Mahavidyalaya, Gargi College, Miranda House, Institute of Home Economics, and Lady Shri Ram College for Women. Out of these, the former three institutions have been granted permission by NCTE to offer ITEP in the upcoming 2023-24 academic year. Admissions to the same will be done through an entrance exam conducted by NTA instead of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET).

The design of the ITEP is based on the design of teacher preparation stated in the NEP 2020. It combines rigorous educational understanding, disciplinary depth and a strong focus on school practice while taking into account existing ground realities.

Reads the Agenda for the Academic Council’s meeting.

This proposal has met scathing criticism from educators who question the legitimacy, lack of syllabus and hasty decision making behind the programme. Key addressors at the press conference included Prof. Poonam Batra (former Faculty member, CIE, DU), Prof Anita Rampal (former Dean Faculty of Education, CIE, DU) and faculties from the eight colleges currently offering B.El.Ed.

The ITEP differs from the existing programme in two key areas – minimum Faculty qualification and programme structure. Teacher groups have alleged that the B.El.Ed is ‘internationally-recognised’ and ‘has successfully trained close to 10,000 teachers’. The ITEP curriculum on the other hand will follow three years of general education followed by one year of rigorous professional training. Educators have also come forward with criticism about the declining qualification standards for teaching the new programme.

This dilution of faculty qualification and a standardised homogenised curriculum indicates a deep dilution of the standards required to prepare school teachers. A common curriculum to educate teachers across diverse cultures, communities and languages of India will not prepare them to teach in diverse classrooms and hence will make them ineffective.

– Dr. S.Ram, a teacher at Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi.

Questions have also been raised on the impact of this programme on the ongoing ad-hoc crisis and other temporary faculty in the varsity. With strict NCTE norms about the curriculum and exit options, the University’s autonomy about such decisions also comes under fire.

Closing down a well reputed programme such as the BElEd is not only illegal, it is also, academically and professionally irrational. The University should come clear on why it is coercing colleges to replace the BElEd with ITEP?

– reads the Official Press Release of DTF dated 24^th May 2023.

Several independent educators and other teacher groups, both within Delhi University and outside have come forward with their disapproval of the programme.

By comparison with the B.El.Ed. program at Delhi University, ITEP thus represents a significant dumbing down. It reflects a conception of the teacher as a mere conduit for delivering pre-approved subject content, rather than as a socially responsible and autonomous professional capable of interpreting and adapting the curriculum and inspiring her pupils.

– a letter addressed to DU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Yogesh Singh by Edward Vickers, UNESCO chair professor on Education for Peace, Social Justice and Global Citizenship, Kyushu University, Japan dated 25^th May 2023.

Featured Image Credits – DTF

Bhavya Nayak

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