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Over 30 teachers detained in Delhi during anti-NEP protest

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Approximately 30 teachers were detained by police in Central Delhi’s Mandi House area while they were participating in a unity march to protest against NEP 2020, paper leaks, and other issues.

On 5th September 2024, also celebrated as Teachers’ Day, over 30 teachers from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi University, and others were detained from Mandi House for protesting against the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the National Testing Agency (NTA), paper leaks, and the undermining of reservations in educational institutions. The Federation of Central University Teachers’ Associations (FEDCUTA), All India Federation of University & College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO), and Joint Forum for Movement on Education (JFME) organized a joint march from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar to address the increasing government interference in the autonomy of educational institutions.  However, before the teachers could reach Jantar Mantar, FEDCUTA President Moushumi Basu and former President Nandita Narain, among others, were forcibly detained.

As per The Federal reports, a senior police officer stated that the teachers were arrested as they attempted to move towards the Embassy area.

The teachers were permitted to protest, but when they tried heading towards the Embassy area, the police had to detain them. The protestors at Jantar Mantar were allowed to continue their protest,” he said. 

However, Moushumi Basu stated that although the police promised to drop them at Jantar Mantar, they dropped them to Kapashera Police Station near the Gurugram border, far from the protest location. The teachers’ association also issued a statement condemning the detentions and calling it a clear violation of democratic rights.

On the day that the nation observes as Teachers’ Day, senior teachers and students were forcibly detained by the police in order to prevent the March. The action of the Delhi Police today…is a shocking demonstration of the continuing assault on Indian democracy and the utter contempt with which the state views education, learning and the teaching community”, the statement read.

As per the reports, FEDCUTA President and JFME Coordinator, Moushumi Basu spoke about the incident,

The police action today only serves to vindicate the very sentiments behind this teacher-student Unity March. This protest is about the unity of those engaged in the teaching-learning process who are standing up against the destruction of the nation’s future through the erosion of public education. NEP 2020 threatens high academic standards and makes education inaccessible to all, particularly marginalized groups.”

She further added and said, “By detaining teachers and students on a day meant to celebrate educators, the government has shown its utter contempt for the teaching community. The Delhi Police has been used to silence our voices, but our fight continues.”

The Democratic Teachers’ Initiative (DTI), in a statement issued following the detentions also condemned the government’s actions.

Look at how teachers are being humiliated on Teachers’ Day! Today’s protest, held on FEDCUTA-AIFUCTO-JFME’s call, was meant to demonstrate our collective resistance to NEP 2020. Yet, instead of listening to teachers and students, the government has chosen to suppress us by force. This is how we are celebrating Teachers’ Day—by being detained for fighting for the future of education!”

Despite being detained, the senior leaders have asked for continued demonstrations. Professor Nandita Narain, former FEDCUTA president, said,

This is a critical moment for education in India. Our public education system is under attack, and teachers, students, and citizens must stand together to protect it. We will not be silenced.”

Meanwhile, student groups from different universities, including Delhi University and Ambedkar University, continued the protest at Jantar Mantar. The protestors also raised slogans, placards, and posters to highlight the issues of NEP and paper leaks, among others. The demonstration reflected the increasing dissatisfaction within the academic community over educational policies and other systematic issues. The detainment of the teachers highlighted the growing tension between the teachers and the government over the crisis in the education sector.

Read also: St. Stephen’s College Faces Allegations over Minority Quota Violations in Admission Process

Featured Image Credits: The Hindu

Reeba Khan

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Shaheed Bhagat Singh College inaugurates newly-constructed infrastructure.

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SBSC inaugurated the new infrastructure under principal Prof. Atree to enhance the college’s facilities and support the academic needs of its students. 

On 22 July 2024, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College celebrated the inauguration of its new infrastructure under Principal Prof. Arun Kumar Attree. The event was joined by Delhi University’s Vice Chancellor Prof. Yogesh Singh as the Chief Guest, Prof. Shri Prakash, Director South Campus, Prof. Balram Pani, Dean of Colleges, and Dr. Vikas Gupta, Registrar, along with the faculty members, students, and invited guests. 

The infrastructural  additions include multiple air-conditioned classrooms equipped with smartboards, multipurpose halls, and sports blocks. With this initiative, the college is aiming for greater engagement and academic achievement. The college hopes to offer students access to the latest tools and materials necessary for their academic development by incorporating technology and resources.  In conversation with DU Beat, Prof. Attree shares his take on infrastructure and the NEP, 

“No academic institution can grow academically without the support of the infrastructure. So, infrastructure is the basic thing that one should provide. It is the responsibility of every administrator that they work on the infrastructure. But I feel that providing infrastructure to the students and the teachers is the first responsibility, and in fact, the institutions exist first for the students. So, in this step, definitely we are all going to support the NEP.”

Inadequate funding to colleges has always been one of the primary concerns of all faculty members across DU. The issue comes to light, especially with the ongoing problems in funding and governance of 12 DU colleges by the state government. Most recently, such shortages were noted during the summer semester exams, where many students were taking exams during the heatwave. 

Attree adds on the role of infrastructure: 

“As I have already mentioned, infrastructure is the basic thing that provides the platform where the students can explore their true potential. Students want to come to the college, but when they see that the classes, benches, board, etc. are in bad condition, they are discouraged. It’s like you send a soldier on the war front and you say that you don’t have the weapon. So you have to provide that infrastructural support. Infrastructure helps in creating an ecosystem, an academic environment where everybody wants to come and learn.”

 The earlier additions to the college such as water coolers during the peak summer time had raised the students’ expectations only to be shattered by the news of lizard infestation in the coolers due to poor maintenance. Therefore, the new infrastructure and the principal’s address have received a lukewarm response from the students. 

 Recognising skill enhancement as one of the key elements for his plans regarding SBSC in the coming months, Atttree shares, 

 “There is a skill development centre that we already have in the college, and there is a career development centre also. And in the next three months, we are going to start a project where there will be a bakery, where the students will learn how to bake, and students will learn how to do editing and digital marketing.”

Attree has been infamous in the news for starting the harsh attendance policy among DU colleges. In conversation with DU Beat, he further states his reasons behind the policy, 

 “A student pays 15,000-17,000 rupees per week. And do you have an estimate of how much the government spends on a student? The government spends around 2 lakh rupees per annum on a student, and the student is paying 15,000-17,000. If in a class, if 60 students are there and only 20 students are coming, 40 students, those who are not coming, it is a loss to the government of India. There are students, those who could have availed of these opportunities. 

Attree also talked about policies adopted in SBSC to help the students. SBSC mandates all its professors to notify students 48 hours prior regarding the cancellation of lectures, along with strict punctuality.

Vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh who was also present at the event weighed in on his views about student activism and journalism, 

“ We need patriotic journalists who understand the problems of our country and then provide the right kind of perspective. Positive criticism is fine but we should not create unnecessary confusion and chaos. We are all sons and daughters of this country and we must work in the direction of PM’s Viksit Bharat by 2047’’ 

Singh also downright denied the allegation regarding the commercialisation of education under  NEP and expressed his views in the following statement, 

“We are in the third year of implementation of NEP, many good things are happening but the results will come after a few years because this period involves investment and guidance in the proper direction” 

However, the current state of most DU colleges suggests otherwise. Roof collapses, and unsanitary canteens among other issues have become routine news for students. The existing infrastructure in most colleges barely supports the needs of the students’ core disciplines, let alone support newer courses under NEP. The New Education Policy has received criticism from both student and teacher bodies due to its unplanned and hasty implementation and minimal guidelines from the University about its proper framework.  

Featured Image Credits: Madhur for DU Beat

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The Edifice of a Gargantuan Ambition – Where Does the NEP Stand Today?

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The policy-behemoth of 2020, the NEP, has begun to seep into the cogwheels of the state machinery, and an ugly picture now stands before us. Has the NEP oiled the machine or soiled it?

With its first major revision since 1986, the New Education Policy of India (NEP), cradling promises to remedy the fractured education system and its often dysfunctional multiplicity of boards, targeted skill-sets and examination protocols, has finally started to lose moss as it roars down the steep slope of universities and schools dotting the Indian landscape alike, and needless to say, it poses the threat to obliterate the status-quo hitherto observed. The question remains whether an overhaul of such prodigious proportions should be a welcome change. Do Indian institutions, and in fact, the institute that is India itself, possess the capacity to contain it and not crumble in the process? Perhaps a fortification is imperative. Have we given the political and academic structures adequate time to recalibrate and fortify themselves in order to welcome the change? 

Indeed, having to model the Indian paradigm of education after the Americans presents appealing prospects to those who wish to pursue their higher education abroad. Statistically, we must determine how much of the student population that truly represents. One need not resort to the numbers, however, to infer that it must not constitute a generous portion of the Indian-student demographic. A disparate wealth distribution in the Indian economy continues to persist, consequently shutting a devastating majority of the population out from access to foreign lands. Education in the UK and the US for just one year is almost as expensive as an Indian’s kidney, if one were to pardon the conceit.  Within India itself, private universities cost as much over the course of four years. We may safely say that the structure under the NEP, benefits only a microscopic percentage of Indian students. Simultaneously, it insinuates certain cultural and ideological conflicts. 

Of course, change is daunting, abrasive at times. I desire to direct our attention to the realised change therefore; that is where the NEP stands, four years after its conception and more than  a year after it having been implemented. Lying beyond the theoretical assent and dissent, how has the change shaped itself in practice? 

The syllabi structured under the NEP have introduced subjects such as GE (Generic Elective), SEC (Skill Enhancement Course), VAC (Value Added Course), AEC (Ability Enhancement Course) with the respective departments offering choices from a pool of courses. Some of these courses such as “The Art of Being Happy” may be taught by professors of any and all departments! The obverse side of the coin parades this as ‘holistic development’ that should buttress an individual’s employability. The reverse, practical side of this coin reveals a diluted core syllabus and therein the concomitant and ironic risk of a half-baked education. Can subjects such as ‘Sports for Life’ or ‘Personality Development’ substantially better the depth of a student’s learning, especially at the University level, where courses are supposed to be rather rigorous and demanding? 

Professor Debraj Mookerjee, Associate Professor of English at Ramjas College, reflecting on the Economics Honours syllabus for St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata, says,

Of the eight courses being taught, only one is in the Honours subject paper…are the students learning enough about the core subjects to make them optimally employable? Can the other subjects not be self-learnt in the age of the internet?

A 3rd Year English Honours Student at the University of Delhi, Pema Choekyi Thongdok, in conversation with DU Beat, echoes the same concern

Also, while one may argue that papers like yoga, sports, etc. do help in extra-curricular development, I still believe that this should be the choice of the student. A student should not be forced to study a whole new paper, simply in the name of “holistic development”, if it wouldn’t even be of any help to them in the future.

A critically upsetting point that Pema raises is that these subjects, with the exception of the GE courses, may not be repeated after one semester of having studied it. How does one fathom the idea of learning a subject well enough within the span of four months, with six other such courses to cater to, including 3 core papers, to find any practical or academic use for it later in life? If the practical use is eliminated entirely, an academic use is tenuously possible. Even in that scenario, additional rigorous research must be done to develop a scholarly understanding of the topic in the first place. This research shall only be the qualifying pre-requisite and no more. 

Highlighting another pitfall of this system, Shivam Bhanushali, Assistant Professor of English, B.N.N College ventures,

The policy’s emphasis on student choice in subject selection is commendable. However, large class sizes and an uneven teacher-student ratio make it difficult to offer diverse options. This can lead to schools prioritising feasibility over student preferences, potentially hindering the policy’s objective.

The cause behind such a butchered syllabus coupled with an equally ignominious execution may be ascribed to the inadequate workforce in terms of, on one hand, administrative sections that must be reconditioned to accommodate the changes in the dealings with students and a largely under-equipped faculty.

Many of the universities are facing problems because they do not have the manpower required for proper implementation. This programme has many sub-sections like value-added and skill-based courses. If institutes want to offer these courses, they need to have proper departments in the university.

 says Professor Imankalyan Lahiri, Department of International Relations, Jadavpur University. 

Taking this argument further, Priyanka Mukherjee, third year journalism student at Delhi College of Arts and Commerce laments

NEP, while it boasts of introducing “practical aspects” into the syllabus, doesn’t take into account that several DU colleges lack the basic infrastructure to even accommodate a media lab in their premises.

 In the recent fee hike at JNU and DU postgraduate and doctorate programmes, one of the contentions seemed to be a constantly failing infrastructure that did not reflect or justify the increased fees. If colleges were not being able to handle infrastructural demands even before the NEP was implemented, it is only natural for a massive bottleneck to have been birthed in the wake of NEP’s structural reform demands. For instance, one of the AEC papers offered under the NEP syllabus is “Environmental Science – Theory Into Practice”. As an unfortunate victim of the NEP myself, I may assuredly proclaim that there was nothing generally practical about the course structure exempting the practical waste of my precious time as an honours student. The “practicals” prescribed in the syllabus decreed the making of a practical file, with an arbitrary number of experiments left to the discretion of the teacher responsible for teaching it and a viva-voce at the end of the semester. I trust you have understood that there were no opportunities created for us that warranted leaving the four-walls of the classroom or our living accommodations. Unless I am practically delirious, it bothers me that there are no realised practical, or hands-on aspects to courses that purport to be largely practical. 

Under the NEP, one may skip completely their Master’s and appear for the UGC-NET provided they can meet the criteria of a “minimum of 75% marks or equivalent grades in their four-year undergraduate course”. Additionally, the UGC has already scrapped the M.Phil degree entirely. Commenting on this, Professor Saswata Bhattacharya, Associate Professor of English at Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, in conversation with Times of India, says,

The 4th year requires a student to acquaint themselves with research methodology and research work. The papers that they have, were previously a part of M.Phil courses, let alone M.A. Speaking of their M.A. courses, which they may now skip, they have a one year programme with not more than 8-10 papers. We had a minimum of 12-16. The length of their M.A courses have been effectively halved. I can vouch for the paramount importance of a two-year course for their M.A. Students who have been introduced to a specialised discipline only recently, and have been studying it for not more than 3-4 years, will find themselves severely ill-suited for serious research. In fact, a 2 year M.Phil course after their master’s helps bridge the large gap in the nature and workload between a Master’s and PhD course.

The hoped expedite is not so much an expedition as it is a hindrance; the process leaves students insufficiently armed and unable to ease into the succeeding steps of their lives. Professor Biswajit Mohanty exposes a dangerous area of quicksand in the exit policy of the NEP undergraduate programmes.

The exit policy is clearly disadvantageous for the underclass category students because it is easy to exit and difficult to gain re-entry into the system, considering the fact that the poor students would find it burdensome to expend energy and financial resources for four years to get the desired degree. Earlier three years seemed achievable but it seems a distant goal for them. This has manifested in the form of one of my students from Rajasthan now contemplating a move to SOL as he cannot afford to study in Delhi because of his family’s financial situation. This will also be disadvantageous for girls, as they would be the first to be taken out of school.

Certainly, given the India now, in an attempt to dig new pathways, the NEP has run the drills under whole residential areas without relocating the inhabitants. It has done so under the influence of a flimsy vision and a threadbare execution. The damage control has been pitiful because it lacks the work-force and the resources to acquire said workforce. In simple words, India is not ready to so radicalise its educational wireframe. It is not simply the universities that have failed, but the government responsible for funding them. “It is, however, not a big surprise that the present government has implemented yet another ambitious policy without taking into account the ground-reality of our academic institutions.” concludes Priyanka. While the students suffer from not having been eased into degrees in a rush to acquire them, the academic institutions suffer from not having been eased into the NEP. One cannot deny the NEP’s transformative capacity. However, a ceramic bowl cannot contain oversized bricks. There is hope for the NEP, but the damage done to the first batches in its inchoate stages seems irremediable. 

Read Also : The Good, Bad, and the NEP: A Far Dream?

Featured Image Credits : The Times Of India Website

 

Aayudh Pramanik

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Delhi University Rejects Proposal to Add Manusmriti in the LLB Syllabus Post Severe Backlash

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The Faculty of Law, DU had proposed to introduce two books on the ancient Hindu text as suggested reading under Unit V – Analytical Positivism of the subject Jurisprudence for first and third year students in the undergraduate course paper in LLB, inviting criticism from the Social Democratic Teachers Front (SDTF) and students. The proposal has been rejected by the V-C after he issued a clarification on Thursday i.e. 11 July, 2024.

The Faculty of Law, DU had proposed to introduce two books on the ancient Hindu text as suggested reading under Unit V – Analytical Positivism of the subject Jurisprudence for first and third year students in the undergraduate course paper in LLB. The said proposal was rejected earlier today, prior to the academic council’s meeting by the Vice – chancellor Yogesh Singh after a controversy erupted over the matter.

Today a proposal by the Faculty of Law was submitted to Delhi University. In the proposal, they had suggested changes in the paper titled Jurisprudence. One of the changes was to include readings on Manusmriti. We have rejected both the suggested readings and the amendments proposed by the Faculty. Nothing of this sort will be taught to students,

 stated the V-C in a video message shared by the university.

Medhatithi’s concept of State and Law, the oldest and most popular commentaries on the Manusmriti, had been proposed as a suggested reading under Unit V – Analytical Positivism of the subject Jurisprudence, being taught in the first semester of the three and five-year undergraduate law courses, specifically Manusmriti with the ‘Manubhasya’ of Medhatithi, by GN Jha, and Commentary of Manu Smriti – Smritichandrika, by T Krishnaswami Iyer as the suggested readings.

The proposed integration was subjected to major criticism as the Manusmriti infamously endorses the caste system, gender inequality, outdated social norms and social ostracisation. The move is being criticised on the grounds that it would promote and perpetuate discrimination against marginalised communities, especially when it is integrated in the legal education system at a central university.

In an interview with The Indian Express Professor Anju Vali Tikoo, Dean, aculty of Law, had stated,

The Manusmriti has been introduced in line with the NEP 2020 to introduce Indian perspectives into learning. The unit under which it has been introduced in itself is an analytical unit. It has got nothing to do with Hindus, Hindutva or Hinduism. Hence, in order to bring in more perspective for the student to compare and understand analytical positivism, this step has been taken.

While teachers and students believed that a comparative understanding of the same is not the problem, its integration as a standalone paper is irrelevant and outdated.

Many students and teacher’s bodies had expressed their distaste towards the move. Objecting to the development, the Social Democratic Teachers Front (SDTF), a collective of teachers, wrote to DU Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh on Wednesday, stating that the text Manusmriti propagates a “regressive” outlook towards the rights of women and the marginalised communities and that it is against a “progressive education system”. They demanded that the proposal should be immediately withdrawn and not approved in the academic council’s meeting.

In the letter to the VC, SDTF general secretary S S Barwal and chairperson S K Sagar had stated

Introduction of any section or part of Manusmriti is against the basic structure of our Constitution and principles of Indian Constitution.

 

Samvardhan Tiwary, a first year student at ILC, Faculty of Law, spoke to DU Beat regarding the development.

DU’s decision to introduce Manusmriti as a part of its law undergrad syllabus, has its own pros and cons. The text can act as a source of origination of law in India, but should not be included as a standalone curriculum in the UG framework. It’s important for the administration to take cognizance of the fact that now the Indian Legal has reached a certain pedestal where the relevance of Manu won’t benefit the students, rather it defeats the purpose of modern jurisprudence. It’s not news that the text has had prejudiced connotations against women in ancient India; it doesn’t serve the purpose of teaching equity and justice in the modern day.

The Delhi University Academic Council was set to hold a meeting today, i.e. Friday, 12 July, 2024 on the proposal to introduce the ancient Indian text as part of its undergraduate law courses, however, a University official said that although the amendments were to be discussed on Friday, the Act of the University “empowers the V-C to take any decision regarding the larger interest of the University, students, and staff”. The matter was discussed with the Dean, Faculty of Law and decided on accordingly.

Feature Image Credits: Himanshu for DU Beat 

Read Also: https://dubeat.com/2024/07/05/dus-faculty-of-law-postpones-end-term-llb-exams-hours-before-the-scheduled-date/ 

Gauri Garg

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Class Divisions in Indian Education: Interim FY25 Budget Reflects Priorities Amidst Systemic Challenges

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The interim FY25 budget shows decreased spending on higher education while school education allocation increases, reflecting governmental priorities amidst India’s class divisions. Highlighted by “12th Fail,” it underscores systemic challenges like corruption and caste barriers hindering equal access to quality education and exacerbating socioeconomic disparities.

“If the citizens were educated, it could be a real problem for the leaders.”

-(12th Fail)

In the interim budget proposed for FY25, the government has decreased spending on higher education. From 1.27% of its budget to FY24, the allocated amount is 1% for FY25. Contrary to this, the allocation for the School Education Department increased from 68,804.85 crore to 72,473.80 crore. What does this tell us about the priorities of the government emerging on the grounds of the existing class division prevalent in India?

12th Fail, built upon the sentimental-driven idea of success in India, showcases the perpetual state of the caste system, the prevalent corruption, and attaining success by meritocratic means amidst disparities. Manoj Kumar Sharma, the protagonist of the story hailing from the infamous region of Chambal, is the middle child from a poverty-stricken household whose only earning member lost his job because of the existing corruption. Portraying the reality of the lowest-income class, the family struggles to arrange two square meals to feed the children and elderly.

The layers of stifling segregation in our society make it impossible for people of the lowest strata, in comparison with the elite and the middle class, to acquire the highly competitive job positions in the country. This population pyramid outlines the division of resources, where the top 10% holds 77 percent of the total national wealth. According to the available data, it would take 941 years for a minimum-wage worker in rural India to earn what the top-paid executive at a leading Indian company makes in a year. It is necessary to provide equal access to education for all to tackle the existing inequality. Even after the Right to Education Act of 2009, the increasing enrollments in the school are inversely related to the decrease in the quality of education. In government schools, absenteeism of teachers, unfair means of conducting exams, lack of basic study materials like proper pen and paper, and the motivation among students and authorities to improve are some of the challenges. According to a report by UNESCO’s International Institute of Education Planning, high rates of absenteeism (at 25%) show evident corruption and its negative influence on the vulnerable years of a student. The aspirations of the lower-income students are wiped out under these circumstances, forming a mass majority of the students in these public schools who cannot recite correct answers to basic questions. Painted through the movie ‘12th Fail’, Manoj exhibits to the interviewers the meek reality of his background when he says, “Our teachers helped us to cheat.”.

When compared with other South Asian developing countries, India is performing exceptionally well in terms of collective economic growth, whereas the human welfare indicators are struggling to meet the average measure. Turning into a melting pot and dealing with problems on multiple fronts, the government juggles to prioritise the spending of the limited available resources. In this year’s budget, we saw a sharp decline in funding for the Ministry of Education, which conflicts with the New Education Policy 2020, which seeks to spend 6 percent of the GDP on education. The allocation to education for FY 24–25 is 7 percent lower than the revised estimates for the current fiscal year. The University Grants Commission has received a cut as the centre reduced its grant by 60 percent. The funding to the IITs and IIMs faced a reduction of Rs 60 crore and Rs 119 crore. These narrowed avenues at the top-tier colleges increase the cutthroat competition to secure a seat. The budget for school education has received an increased amount of Rs 73,008 crore from Revised Estimates (RE), which is almost Rs 3,250 crore more than last year’s allocation and is the highest of all time. The government aims to use them to deliver quality teaching in a developed holistic environment for nurturing a future generation for the country’s future.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s ‘12th Fail’, a biopic, very accurately showcases the ground reality of our education system. Manoj gives up on cheating, but the environment he belonged to remains the same, where the Mafia is protected by political patronage, not only putting the lives of the young students at stake for the sake of personal monetary gains and regional control but also breaking the spirit of the man residing in these regions, the rural areas that comprise 70 percent of the Indian population.

India ranks 93 in the corruption index: ‘Ye jo fine ke naam par tu maang raha hai na…yeh ghoos hai’. This ailment is so severe and ingrained in our society in the form of privately owned, corrupt education institutions making extraordinary money with their skyrocketing fee structures to help students crack highly competitive examinations like JEE, NEET, and our very own UPSC. Contributing to the misery as demonstrated in the movie “2 lakh Hindi medium vidhyarthiyo mein kewal 25-30 hi ban pate hain IAS IPS,”  highlights the prevailing discrimination on the grounds of linguistic chauvinism, where the sophisticated Anglican tongue spoken by the elite draws a line that the people belonging to lower ethnic groups find difficult to cross to get to the respectable jobs.

This embedded segregation and socioeconomic inequalities are only widening due to the failure and lack of incentive to take up the righteous implementation of the policies. The drastic difference in access to education is a mole on the flags bearing the’socialist’, ‘justice’, and ‘equal’ society whose ecosystem aims to provide uniform opportunities to all. At this crucial phase, when the government wants us to aim high, it is also creating these loopholes that are only going to leave the nation-building roots hollow. Our Manoj made it to the top ‘without oxygen’ support, celebrating the UPSC struggle of an aspirate. The dehumanising reality of our times and the plight remain shrouded under ‘Ye hum sab ki ladai hai, ek ka jeet hoga toh karodon bhed-bakriyon ka jeet hoga.’, developing an ‘Indian Dream’ of millions of people aspiring to climb the social ladder.

Read Also: Just Looking Like a “How?”: Questioning SC’s Stand on Regulating Coaching Institutes

Image Credits: The Week

Divya Malhotra

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Spot Round Registrations Begin, Admission Process Explained

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According to the official schedule, registration for Spot Round began on 29 August at 5 pm via the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS) Portal under the ongoing admission process for Delhi University.

Delhi University administration started the registration for Spot Round of undergraduate admissions. Students can register on the admissions website, admission.uod.ac.in.

In the spot admissions round 1, declaration of allocations was done on 1st September (5 pm), and candidates will have time till September 3, 4.59 pm to accept the allocated seats.

Following that colleges will have time from September 2 (10 am) till 4.59 pm September 4, to verify and approve online applications. Last date for online payment of admission fees is scheduled for September 5, 4.59 pm.

The steps for application process include first visiting the official website, admission.uod.ac.in. Then by clicking on the UG admission 2023 link, the page will be redirected. The next step is to fill in all the requirements, incorporating all personal details and educational qualifications. Next review the application and pay the application fee. Finally, submit the application and download the application for future use.

“In its first round, a total of 202416 eligible candidates were considered for allocation based on their preferences of programme and college combinations. A total of 85853 allocations have been done in the First CSAS round itself. This includes an allocation to all programmes in all colleges in UR, SC, ST, OBC(NCL), EWS and two supernumerary quotas, PwBD and Kashmiri Migrants. As many as 7042 candidates got their first preference. About 22000 candidates have been allocated a seat from their first five preferences.” -ANI Report

During the first round seat allotment round, over 3,04,699 students registered the CSAS 2023 portal, among those, 2,45,235 students submitted their CSAS DU 2023 application form and 59,464 didn’t submit their application forms.

Image Source: Business Today

Read Also: DU Witnesses 87% Seats being Secured in the First Round of UG Admissions

Aanya Mehta

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Text Removal and Renaming in DU’s History Syllabus: Brahmanization Term and Paper on Inequality Dropped

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DU Arts Faculty

The revised history syllabus for the fourth and fifth semester undergraduate students, which was approved by the DU Academic Council on May 26, has been ratified by the Executive Council on June 9, 2023. The removal of a paper on inequality, the elimination of the term “Brahmanization,” and the addition of matriarchal perspectives are some of the changes that have been introduced.

On June 9, 2023, the University of Delhi’s Executive Council, the apex academic decision-making body at the university, ratified the amended curriculum that had been approved by the Academic Council on May 26. The Academic Council revised the history syllabus for the fourth and fifth semesters under the new Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP). A few of the changes include the deletion of the words Brahminization and ‘Brahmanical’, the removal of the paper on “Inequality and Differences”, and the introduction of matriarchal perspectives.

The revision aims to align the syllabus with the suggestions of the New Education Policy, NEP 2020.

-Shri Prakash Singh, Director, South Campus, in a report by The Indian Express

The phrase Brahminization has been removed from the fourth and fifth semester Generic Elective paper ‘Religion and Religiosity’, which has been renamed ‘Religious Traditions in the Indian Subcontinents’. One of the topics in the paper titled ‘Approaches to Brahmanization in the Early Mediaeval Era’ has been renamed ‘Approaches to Shaiva, Shakta, and Vaishnava in the Early Mediaeval Era’. In addition, the revised syllabus removed the term ‘Brahmanical’ from the fifth-semester paper on the Brahmanical Patriarchy. Furthermore, the title of the article has been changed from ‘Evolution of Patriarchy’ to ‘Evolution of Patriarchy in Early India’.

Apart from this, the paper titled ‘Inequality and Differences’ in semester four, which talks about the concepts of jati, varna, caste, class, and gender and their evolution, has been withdrawn.

Constructive suggestions are also given — there is now more diversity and more information. It was a unanimous decision and the changes were reported to the academic council way in advance. There is no dissent. Suggestions were given by the standing committee as well.”

-Dean of South Campus, DU, in a report by Jagran Josh

Furthermore, the paper Women in Indian History will provide fresh perspectives on matriarchy. The units that were previously centred around patriarchy will now also include discussions around matriarchy. The primary goal of this modification, reportedly, is to make students aware of and have a diverse viewpoint.

Image Credits: Devansh Arya for DU Beat

Read Also: Gandhi replaced with Savarkar in BA Syllabus; Row Erupts in DU

Dhruv Bhati
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Delhi University to Introduce B.Tech Courses Starting August

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In a meeting held by the executive council, the university is all set to introduce B. Tech courses for the
academic year 2023-24 from August. Three courses will be offered with an intake capacity of 120
students for each programme.

Starting in August, Delhi University (DU) will offer engineering courses for students to pursue for the
academic year 2023-24. The courses will range from B.Tech degrees in Computer Science and Engineering; Electronics and Communication Engineering; and Electrical Engineering. The total intake capacity of the students will be 360, consisting of 120 for each program. Admissions under the B.Tech course will be conducted on the basis of JEE scores Mains score. The course structure, credit distribution and syllabi for the first two semesters have been finalized by the executive council.

On Friday, 9 June 2023, in a meeting presented before the executive council, the new course structure received approval. Earlier in April, the Ministry of Education also approved the introduction of 72 teaching and 48 non-teaching posts for the new programmes in April.

In 2021, a committee had been deliberately set up by the University to introduce new courses.

“The committee held several meetings in the last one-and-half years and systematically deliberated upon various issues within its terms of reference to facilitate the initiation of the three BTech programmes under the Faculty of Technology in the emerging subject areas of computer science and engineering, electronics and communication engineering and electrical engineering,” an official stated in reference to the report submitted by the panel.

The committee suggested adequate infrastructural facilities for the classrooms and laboratories be
arranged until the Faculty of Technology building is fully functional.

“The committee authorized the vice-chancellor to decide upon the space and other essential physical
infrastructure for initiation of these B. Tech programmes,” the report stated.

The course structure is designed in such a manner that a minimum 50% weightage will be applicable to the major area of study with a maximum of 65% weighable. The rest will be applicable towards the minor area of study. In accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP), students will be provided with multiple exit options. A student who has successfully completed one year of study and earned the requisite credits will receive a certificate. Two years of successful completion of the required credits will earn the student a diploma and three years of successful completion along with the required credits will earn an advanced diploma. Students who have successfully completed the required credits for four years will be awarded a Bachelor’s in Technology degree.

In line with the introduction of new programmes, the executive council approved the introduction of the four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) for the academic session 2023-24. The ITEP will replace the current Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed) programme.

Read Also: https://dubeat.com/2023/06/06/du-to-introduce-three-b-tech-courses-from-this-academic-year/

Featured Image Credits: Devesh for DU Beat

Sri Sidhvi Dindi
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DU and Ambedkar University Collaborate to Share Resources

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Ambedkar University and Delhi University

Delhi University embarked on a new journey after signing an MoU with Ambedkar University in order to share resources with each other in sync with NEP.

On Thursday, May 18, the University of Delhi and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to ensure the optimum utilisation of their resources with one another. Both universities have agreed to work together in areas of research, extension activities, student and faculty exchange, consultancy, and outreach. Officials reportedly agreed to maintain a common ground by allocating libraries, sports grounds, research laboratories, seminar halls, auditoriums, etc. for students and staff of both universities.

Due to proximity, the collaboration can explore the possibility of mobility of students between the two universities. It will help students study courses/papers offered in the collaborating university and their credit transfer as well as issuance of a certificates.

– DU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Yogesh Singh

The Vice Chancellor also proposed to conduct joint PhD programmes for the students to get the best opportunities under the co-supervision of both universities. The universities will work on emerging areas like the impact of artificial intelligence on social sciences and promote research in the fields of science and technology.

Committed to academic partnerships and collaborations with other institutions, the goal of Ambedkar University is to become a Multidisciplinary Education Research University in alignment with the objectives of NEP 2020. Vice Chancellor of Ambedkar University, Prof. Anu Singh Lather, said that the University is committed to the ideals of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar by bridging equality and social justice with excellence.

We are working on becoming a Multidisciplinary Education Research University (MERU) and have recently signed MoUs with GGSIP University, NSUT, DTU, NLU-D.

– AUD Vice Chancellor Prof. Lather

Prof. Lather added that AUD’s mission is to create sustainable and effective linkages between access and success in higher education. The MoU will be a step towards fulfilling this purpose.

 

Read also: DU Scraps Existing B.El.Ed. Programme, Teachers Raise Objection 

Featured Image Credits: B.R. Ambedkar University Website

Aanya Mehta
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DU Invites Applications for Second Edition of Vice Chancellor Internship Scheme

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Delhi University opens online applications for paid internship opportunities at its departments and centres for summer 2023. Last date of applying on the university website is May 17, 2023.

Dean Students’ Welfare Office, Delhi University has launched the second iteration of the Vice Chancellor Internship Scheme – Summer Internship 2023 on its official portal. Undergraduate and Postgraduate students of the university are invited to apply for a multitude of paid opportunities. Applications are open till May 17, 2023, on the university website.

All regular bonafide students of DU, irrespective of their course or stream – excluding First Year and Semester 2 students, are eligible to apply for the Summer Internship 2023 program. This opportunity can be availed by students only once during their course of study at DU, therefore, students who had already availed VCIS-2022 cannot apply for this edition of VCIS: Summer Internship 2023.

The internship demands a flexible time commitment of 15-20 hours per week. The program will run over a period of two months – tentatively June and July 2023. It has also been informed that the attendance requirement in the candidate’s enrolled UG/PG course will not be relaxed during the internship tenure. The university is offering a stipend of Rs.10,000 per month, drawn from the University Student Welfare Fund.  Students completing the internship tenure will be awarded an experience certificate from the Dean of Students’ Welfare, subject to an appraisal report from the concerned employing department, centre, or institution.

All university institutions, departments, and centres, including the VC’s office, Office of Dean of Colleges, Registrar’s Office, the central reference library, departmental libraries, departmental labs, the admissions branch, and the Equal Opportunity Cell, will be covered by the program. The selection process involves filling up an application form, stating three domains of interest, uploading a letter of recommendation (LOR) and no objection certificate (NOC) from their head of department/college, and an interview round.

VCIS was launched in the 2022-23 academic year with the objective to “impart training on soft and hard skills by integrating cognitive knowledge with experiential learning”. The program is said to achieve the objectives of “Samagra Shiksha” (holistic education) as enlisted in NEP 2020. For the 110 openings in its paid internship program last year, the university got more than 3,800 applications from undergraduate and postgraduate students. All further information will be shared on the DSW website.

Read Also: What To Expect From Your First Internship

Featured Image Credits: Anshika for DU Beat

Bhavya Nayak

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