Delhi University’s 1-year PG programme under the National Education Policy (NEP) framework has sparked confusion among students, departments, and faculty.
The official calendar of the University of Delhi marked the commencement of classes from July 28, but registration for the 1-year PG programme was extended up to July 31, leading to admissions lagging behind the official academic schedule.
The mismatch between the official schedule and the late admissions has left several departments scrambling to begin teaching.
To curb this mismatch and begin classes soon, the university has advised departments to offer combined classes for both incoming one-year master’s students and third-semester students of the existing two-year PG programmes, as the curricula for both have significant similarities, according to Registrar Vikas Gupta.
This suggestion faced strong criticism from faculty bodies including the Democratic Teachers’ Front, which called this implementation “frivolous” and questioned in their statement if Delhi University had become “a WhatsApp University run in ‘Emergency Mode’ without thinking through the ramifications of such knee-jerk actions?”
Three key concerns raised by the faculty members
Firstly, the increased workload. Colleges have been asked to introduce new courses and submit capacities without being allocated any new faculty positions or guest teacher provisions, leading to an increased workload among the existing faculty. In fact, the DTF stated that at least one college principal informed faculty that any teaching under the new one-year PG programme would be “over and above the existing load on teachers.”
The question of infrastructural shortcomings was also raised. Due to a lack of extra physical classrooms, it has become difficult to accommodate additional cohorts without prior infrastructure expansion.
Many faculty members also pointed out that the results for several fourth-year undergraduate courses are yet to be declared, complicating the one-year PG program admissions.
As departments and faculty members prepare for the upcoming intake, they request the university to release undergraduate results, establish proper teaching guidelines and provide logistical support to the colleges.
Read Also: Delhi University Increases One-Year PG Intake, Opens Correction Window for Admissions
Vanshika U Singh
