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Why rankings don’t matter but quality education does: A closer look at DU’s 81st spot

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Quacquarelli Symonds Rankings or better known as simply QS Rankings released Asian Universities Ranking List on May 13, 2014. While the sciences fared better by getting impressive spots (IIT Delhi-38th , IIT Bombay- 41st), the traditional universities such as University of Delhi, Benares Hindu University, University of Calcutta scored satisfactorily.

While rankings in general seldom matter in the overall assessment of an institution, the quality of education offered by an institute is surely a matter of concern. Once, a renowned magazine published a list of colleges in India that are at at the top for a particular course and later it was found that the college on #1 did not even offer that course! While this is not to cause ill repute to  the nature of rankings and deter anyone from looking at rankings for making their personal decisions, but shift the focus from the numerical value of a rank to the qualitative assessment of an institution on the basis of certain parameters that WE deem important for OUR personal growth, not dictated by the parameters preferential to the authorities distributing ranks.

Moving on, the University of Delhi has been controversy’s favorite child for quite a while. Whether it be the FYUP or the autocratic non-democratic functioning of the Padma Shri VC, it has numerous issues that need to be dealt with. Here is my list of the changes that I would like to see in DU being implemented, which I believe can raise the quality of education, and maybe subsequently the unimportant rankings too-

1)  Inclusion of a Statement of Purpose in the admissions process

Much has been said about how the Board Examination marks are not indicative of a person’s potential, except that of his potential to rote learn and present it on paper. In addition to this, what is important is that even if a student is not passionate about his subjects, he can still score decently in the Boards because of the way in which our evaluation system is structured; we don’t assess the student’s grasp over the concept, but how the concept has been put on paper.

Almost all international universities have the concept of writing a statement of purpose wherein the student is required to explain why he wants to do a particular course. This is not only reflective of the student’s passion for the subject but also helps the examiner gauge how much has the student engaged with the subject, how much has he mulled over the concepts and theories and most importantly, is he actively thinking about the subject? The amount of engagement a person has had with his subject prior to admission is also important as it is a significant marker of the future projects you’ll undertake once admitted to the University and even beyond that.

This becomes crucial in the context of improving the University’s admission of students, the research wing of the University and the larger intellectual ethos.

2) Valuing quality education over mere employability

One of the key arguments put forth by the VC in favor of FYUP was that it will increase the employability of students. While there is nothing wrong with concerns over the employment generation for the larger demographic dividend of the country, the problem arises when you begin to mould the intellect of the students in order to satisfy the larger market ideologies that are seldom governed by thirst for knowledge but rather by a production oriented approach that seeks to garner more money and eye balls through the medium of their undertaken projects. Think tanks are few in India, and for them a drive towards knowledge supersedes any other drive that the university is trying to impose upon us.

It is slowly creating a structure for students that designs them to submit to market oriented strategies rather than giving free way to the cultivation if the imagination of students. Moves such as FYUP are constant reminders of the regressive mentality of “padh likh ke afsar bano” that plagues the Indian mind. Rather, the end of education should be a refinement of one’s own intellect and personality that gives us the potential to negotiate with the world, carve our won way and create our own employments sans the “help” of FYUP.

3) The structure of the course and subsequent evaluation

Our course structure is designed in a way that even if a student has not studied the entire semester, and opens the book 2 days prior to exams, he can still score well, the reason being that the marking scheme is a set of extremely loose ended parameters that seldom negatively reinforce bad arguments and end up distributing marks. The previous Semester, I started studying 2 weeks before the exams and scored the fifth highest in college, not too bad, eh?

I’m not taking any moral stance on how many hours a student needs to put in for study, but what I’m stressing on is that a paper doesn’t evaluate how much has the student engaged with the subject. It involves a routine set of questions with a routine set of answers that can help you score decently well.

Processes such as writing term papers helps the examiner assess how much has the student gone beyond the text and made attempts to come up with his own theories and rhetoric, something absolutely essential in the process of education. There are also provisions for designing your own course in many masters level courses where you can decide what all you want to study, and except for a few compulsory credits you can custom make your course as it helps in writing your thesis in future.

4) Inclusion of radical political philosophies with the dominant ones

This might appear a little out of place but allow me to put it into context. In the 1970’s during the 2nd wave feminist movement in India, the University was an important breeding ground for several front runners of the movement. Also, the University has been the place where radical political philosophies of Communism have taken shape and been accommodated into the larger political scenario.

But now there is an indirect polarization of political philosophies, and binaries are too quick to be created in terms of political affiliations. Also, the amount of freedom students enjoyed earlier to protest against issues has diminished, because of the advent of the autocratic administration of the university.

It is important to locate the socio-political importance of an environment that actively accommodates dissenters. A lot of students who were active in student politics in Delhi University went on to become some of the most important public commentators, social rights activists, intellectuals, and so on. Accommodation of dissent should not looked upon as a threat to establishment but as a way to create citizens who’re more aware of their identity and existence and who dare to carve their own niche in the world that is constantly seeking to kill individuality.

As a secondary thing, it is also a matter of great repute for a University in retrospect to produce people like these, who contribute to making the world a better place and bring the margins to the mainstream.

 

In conclusion, Delhi University till now has produced almost all of the present academia and intelligentsia of India by virtue of its professors and curriculum designed to make a student bloom to his fullest potential. What is important is to incorporate more divergent ideas and lay emphasis on the quality of education than being driven by dominant mainstream approaches.

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Campus Central

DU's Executive Council accepts provision for VC's Second Term

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th, Delhi University’s Executive Council accepted the proposal to amend the Statute 11-F (4) of the Statutes of the University, where it has been proposed that now the Vice-Chancellor would be eligible to seek a second term. Earlier the statute mentioned that the Vice-Chancellor’s term can only be extended for a year at maximum at the recommendation of the Visitor i.e. the President of India. In 2009, the HRD Ministry wrote to all central universities to create a provision of seeking second terms for VCs when VCs of only 7 Central Universities could serve for a second term. The heads of the remaining CUs including DU and JNU were eligible for a single term only. This matter came up for discussion by the Executive Council of Delhi University this week. Former DUTA president and chairperson of AAD, Aditya Narayan Mishra said,” I am not opposed to any individual but on a matter of principles I believe that a five year term is a good enough to provide academic leadership to any institution. The VC as of now will only get to avail the right to stand for second term but all the procedure for electing the VC would take place according to the set guidelines.” The decision has received tough opposition and resentment by many teachers calling the day as ‘black day in the history of Delhi University’.’The V.C presiding over the meeting with an agenda that is going to be beneficial to him is very improper. It is not a good idea to perpetuate one person and not good for the University. It is against the wisdom of the parliament and the Delhi University Act and only for one person’s benefit”, said Nandita Narain, President of Delhi University’s Teacher’s Association (DUTA). With the latest amendments, the VC now has the authority to make a search committee for the next person to hold office, which would constitute three members. It would allow the Vice Chancellor to nominate two out of the three members. The visitor, who is the President of India, will recommend the remaining name. “The E.C members are a bunch of yes-men to the VC who could be manipulated by threats and scares of being targeting in hundreds of ways. This is constitutionally undemocratic when principals and Executive Council members are targeted”, said Narain. “There is a huge conflict of interest within the statute itself as only one clause of re-appointment is amended without amending the clause for setting up the search committee where the outcome can be easily influenced by the VC.  A nexus can set in and the VC is sending out a signal, ‘I may continue so you better behave yourself’. I want to say that movement can’t be curbed and it will continue in all possible ways which we can think of in spite of the demoralising signals the VC is sending out”, said Abha Dev Habib, an E.C member and an Assistant Professor at Miranda House, Delhi University. The professional code of ethics for teachers as approved by the Executive Council is an exhaustive set of guidelines created by UGC in 2010 that describes the ideal code of conduct for higher education teachers. The Code of Professional Ethics makes “violations” punishable that has emerged as a cause of alarm where it mentions that “If the circumstances so warrant, the Vice Chancellor may direct the governing body of the college to initiate action against a teacher on the grounds of misconduct, failing which the Vice Chancellor may take such action as provided for in the Act, statutes and ordinances of the university.” “He has enlarged the scope of what is called‘misconduct’. He has given himself the power to take direct action against any teacher even if governing body doesn’t agree. He wants to crush any kind of dissent on the syllabi and conduct of teachers. He is ‘all in all’ which is very draconian and like being back to the period of Hitler in 1939”, said Nandita Narain on the amendments to the ordinances. Image Credit: Parandeep Goswami]]>

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News

10 Teachers selected for VC Fellowship Programme

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The Vice Chancellor Fellowship Programme for the calendar year 2014 has been announced by the University of Delhi. This programme aims at drawing academic talents amongst the faculty base of Delhi University. Permanent academic employees of DU under the age of 45 have to undergo a rigorous process to be selected among the 10 Vice Chancellor Fellows. These ten fellows are then based at Cluster Innovation Centre and conduct learning and research work for Delhi University.

The fellowship majorly aims at creating technology based open learning modules for massive numbers of students on open platforms in partnership with leading institutions on a worldwide basis. It also looks at “developing meaningful ideas, ways and means of providing instruction in the Foundation and Application Courses under the new undergraduate programme through technology based platforms or through production of reading/learning material in collaboration with leading international institutions.”

For this fellowship, about 95 academics applied for the programme that was announced in November 2013. The selected teachers for this year are Mahima Kaushik (Ramjas College, Chemistry), Monika Koul (Hansraj College, Botany), Neha Sharma (Keshav Mahavidyalaya, Computer and Electronics), Anant Pandey (Sri Venkateswara College, Physics), Swarn Singh (Sri Venkateswara College, Mathematics), Priyanka Pandey (Gargi College, Botany), Pankaj Khanna (Acharya Narendra Dev College, Chemistry), Suman Dudeja (Acharya Narendra Dev College, Chemistry), Meetakshi Pant (Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Commerce) and Shankar Kumar (Hindu College, History). Sri Venkateswara College is the only college with two fellows in this programme.

“I am very elated and excited to work at this level among sharp people from different backgrounds in a good and conducive working environment. It is an exciting opportunity to look beyond one subject and produce something in a trans-disciplinary way”, said Mr. Shankar Kumar, Associate Professor at Hindu College who is selected for the fellowship. He also happens to be the only professor from humanities background among the ten chosen academics. On the research related to FYUP for the fellowship he said,” I see myself as someone associated with FYUP from its inception and the idea is to infuse the changes by content building, collaborative research and technological platforms by reaching out to a multitude of students.”

These 10 teachers will be relieved of their responsibilities at their respective colleges once they start working for the fellowship. These fellows are expected ‘to provide big impulse to five flagship programmes of Delhi University’ and ‘create learning programmes and activities that are significantly in tune with modern technology based programmes’ as per the announcement made by the Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University.

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Admissions 2013

An Open Letter to VC Dinesh Singh

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dinesh singhRespected Mr. Dinesh Singh,

This letter is to congratulate you on your relentless pursuits to making Delhi University a world class university. I am fully aware that due to the “hurried” changes in the degree program, you have received more brickbats than bouquets, but this letter is an exception.

It has been around three years that you’ve been elected the VC of the best university in India. In your interviews you’ve maintained that the preparations for implementing the four year undergraduate programme (FYUP) started as soon as you held office. Even then you made the smart decision to implement the semester system, just to replace it with FYUP after two years. Your uncanny future planning is admirable, sir.

You’ve claimed rather vehemently that FYUP is going to increase the employability of students. I fully trust you when you imply that by studying non-core subjects more than core subjects in the span of 4 years, a pass out will be the preferred choice. I also believe you that by giving multiple exit points and still “benefiting” from the studies, a drop out with a B.A degree will get a job without really specializing in his 2/3 years of study.

Sir, I appreciate your concern for the students who wish to study in U.S.A after completing their graduation in India. Your decision to make structural changes (increasing the span from 3 years to 4 years to suit the USA model) rather than focusing on the quality of the structure (the quality of core disciplines, lessening the burden of non-core subjects) is admirable. Because you see, spending a year extra without learning extra is the goal, USA and all.

I understand you value quality education, that’s what FYUP is all about after all, isn’t it? Therefore I applaud your decision of making students study the disciplines that are in no way related to the field they want to major in. The fact that you’re making an English major aspirant from humanities background study biochemistry perfectly makes sense. Because the value of science foundation courses is so important in literature after all, that it would have been better to delete a Shakespeare text and replace it with physics.  Also, since not everyone has studied biochemistry at the high school level, college level bio-chemistry is going to be pretty much same to high school bio chemistry, so that everyone is able to study, thereby not taking college level studies a notch up. I perfectly see where you’re taking quality education with this.

You, respected sir have created an ideal university, where professors keep shouting and administrators turn a blind eye. Where students aren’t able to learn and nobody listens. Where cut offs keep rising and quality education keeps going downwards.

Congratulations sir. My heartiest wishes to you in your endeavour to achieve life, liberty and happiness, and perpetual deafness.

Yours sincerely
A student who being in second year is facing the misfortune of not studying in FYUP.

Image Credit: South Campus website

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Campus Central

VC cuts off power supply during film screening, DUTA protests

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Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) along with the support of some students, decided to screen ‘The Great Dictator’, a Charlie Chaplin movie, on 9th November. This movie was being aired outside the Vice Chancellor’s office as a satire on Delhi University and it was to be followed by a debate on the current situation. However, within the first five minutes the power supply was cut off on the VC’s order. When the protestors tried finding an alternate source of power, this was also disrupted immediately as the power supply for the entire block outside the VC’s office and DUTA’s protest area was disconnected.

The actions of the VC led to nearly 25 students and the DUTA sleeping outside the VC Dinesh Singh’s office to show their anger and resentment for not being allowed to watch the Charlie Chaplin movie. Angry slogans were chanted outside his house, yet he didn’t appear to address the party gathered outside. Around 12:30 pm the next day, students and teachers held a meeting where they demanded a public apology from the VC.

In response to the protest, the registrar of Delhi University released a statement on Saturday, 10th of November, stating that the University regretted the complete disregard of the students and teachers who directly tapped power from exposed high-tension wires for screening their movie when the power supply was cut off initially. The statement also mentioned the fact that legal action will be taken against the offenders if such action continues. However, none of these threats seem to deter the determined DUTA and its student supporters as they promise to continue protesting until their issues are addressed.  

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Campus Central

Caught in a cobweb: DUTA strikes

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Emerging from what has transformed into a completely bitter symphony, the on-going tangles of discontentment have brewed into a series of brawls between the DUTA members and the Vice Chancellor of Delhi University. The coercive governance by the authorities and the non-receptiveness of any dialogue with the teachers pertaining to the up surging issues, followed by insinuating the teacher’s association as ‘illegal’ has sprung up a steamy situation for every stakeholder of this renowned university.

On Wednesday the hunger strike by DUTA members marked the tenth day of protest, channelizing a way for the emergence of yet another agenda for Thursday, 18th October.  On the aforementioned date the members of DUTA marched barefoot around the campus of the university to ascertain the Right to Education to the economically weaker sections of the society, in the arrears of massive privatization and commercialization. The motive of the protest was also a well sunken thought to stir a voice of justice for the girl who was molested during the DUSU elections earlier. An air of pitiful disgrace was expressed with respect to banning democratic protests in the campus post the incident. The strike seems to evolve due to a multitude of driving factors arising due to the haphazard manner in which the university is dealing with semesterization. In the ambit of unilateral decision making, the authorities have completely shunned out on any influential contribution by the teachers who are intricate brunt bearers and facilitators of the semester system. The threat of pay cuts in case of any demonstrations has also leapt as a severe bone of contention. There are several questions being posed on the claimed acceleration of the standard of the university which has duly failed in providing and enabling the mere necessities of a conducive environment for accessing education.

The acceptance and enhancement of semester system as another rung in the towering ladder of a ‘glistening’ education in this country continues to be a contentious argument, one year after its implementation. Students have queued up their dismal grievances to unflattering redressal, corresponding to which they extended their support and accompanied the teachers through the days of the strike. In the domain of responsible demonstrations, the teachers have ensured regular classes and have prudently conducted these strikes for a cause. Deliberation and enactment can only condense the appalling situation of the largest democracy’s top ranked university, where the essence of an ironic situation seems to persist.

 

Image source: The Hindu 

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News

DU students protest outside the VC’s office

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Post graduate students of MA/MSc Mathematics and BSc Physical and Life Sciences held a demonstration outside the VC’s office earlier this Friday to protest the irregular conduct of classes and push for an inquiry into the semester results. They alleged that a faculty member teaching ‘Measure Theory and Integration’, had been absent since the start of the current semester and that the students had already lost three weeks. The students also conveyed that their seniors had also suffered because of the same teacher in the last semester.

“The department is yet to take any steps”, Prof. Bal Kishan Das, the HOD of Mathematics of Delhi University was quoted saying. “The issue is on record of the university and they are looking into the matter. The department heads can only report things to the university, they can’t take any further steps.

“The department is conscious of the students’ requirements and demands. I had personally assured the students that they will not have to suffer. But they seem to have lost their cool.”

On asking the reason why the teacher hasn’t turned up 3 weeks into the semester, he said, “The teacher seems to be having some issues with the department. But I had mentioned this earlier as well that these things should be sought out as a different issue altogether”

Everybody is supposed to perform their specific duties, which they are, except for this particular teacher. Every time the issue was brought to notice, the department took cognizance of the situation and came out with a solution. There was a little gap, yes. But ultimately something was done to fix the problem.”

Another protest outside the VC’s office saw a strength of around 200 students of the third semester of BSc Physical and Life Sciences. The students demanded an inquiry into the semester results where 73% of the students had not cleared the exam. The students were accompanied by the DUSU President, Ajay Chhikara.

“The result has been extremely poor. Only 22-23% of the students have passed. And what is surprising is, that the students whose results showed that they had passed till morning, the website suddenly showed them as ‘failed’ by the night. This clearly goes to show that the results have been regulated. Therefore, we are protesting against this”, said Ajay Chhikara.

He further said, “The same problem had occurred last few times as well, with this very course. The syllabus is quite heavy and has not been moderated according to the semester system. I also feel that more importance and priority was given to the first semester results as the university wanted to show the success of the new ‘semester system’. And because of this the second years have been neglected, which can have a heavy impact on their futures.”

 

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Campus Central

A long wait for the Honours?

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As reported in Times of India dated January 3, 2012, the University of Delhi seems to be mulling on yet another change in the existing system for the undergraduate courses. Prof Dinesh Singh, the Vice Chancellor of Delhi University released a statement in today’s newspapers to the effect that from 2013 onward, the Honours courses for BA, B.Com and BSc streams would now take four years for completion rather than three. This move was justified by Prof Singh in that it would cater to the students’ growing urge to study other and varied courses than their subject of specialization.

Under the revamped system, it has been said, the students will all be engaging with courses of general studies for their first years and then choose their fields of specialization for their second year course. In case a student, due to reasons whatsoever, wishes to drop out following the second year, they shall be awarded a diploma if they go in for skill- based subjects. In case they wish to leave college after their third year, a general degree shall be presented and on completion of all four years, the student will receivea specialized degree equivalent to the present-day honours.

Rajesh Kumar Jha, faculty member of the Political Science Department at Rajdhani College, also a member of the Delhi University Academic Council has said that this is a move which needs to be contemplated on and deliberated on with great detail. He believes that the move, though not to be completely rubbished at this embryonic stage, is one that displays great hurry on part of the University decision-makers to force through reforms on the existing system of education.

With the semester still at its infancy, replete with teething problems, this new decision to introduce a whole new system just two years after the semester system begins functioning is a little precariously poised, many think. Some are of the opinion that this may be looked at as a ploy on the University’s part to somewhat Americanise the education scenario here, as it’s known publicly that the graduation courses offered in the USA are extended over a period of four years. However Mr Jha comments that the job market in the nation is not conducive for absorbing 20 year olds with only diplomas unlike the West, which seems well equipped to do likewise.

Another compelling concern seems to be regarding the rate DU appears to be throwing the spate of reforms considering that the systems in place have been functionally successfully for decades now. It sill needs to be determined why there is such a pressing need to change the three year undergrad course into a four year programme, the lateral effects of which may be felt on the post-graduate courses too which are as of now compatible with a system of three-year UG courses.

Commenting on this issue also gets tough because neither the official blueprint for this system, nor the official communication explaining the terms and conditions for this proposed makeover have been made available, even to the members of the Academic Council. Even  as Prof Singh’s comments in today’s newspapers commented on the growing demand of Sanskrit students and academicians in Germany and elsewhere and how the new system would enable the Sanskrit (H) students to be able to excel in their own fields and simultaneously learning how to reach out to the West with their indigenous knowledge,, the Head of Department for Sanskrit  of Delhi University, Prof Mithilesh Kumar Chaturvedi, denied any knowledge of this proposal’s existence and declined further comment until official communication would be delivered to him.

While Prof Singh comments indicate that a similar credit system would be put in place to empower the students to get transfers to foreign Universities, the actual method to do so has been kept in the dark.

As DU experiences the first results of the uniform semester system, much chaos has been afoot, with RTI’s being filed and students being appalled and teachers flummoxed at the result; the worry remains whether the proposed change into a four-year course will also lead to a fluctuation in the method of academic course from among the choices of the annual mode or the semester mode.

Amidst all this, today’s statements seem highly unclear being unsubstantiated by official sources as to the clarity of the objective. Teachers and students alike are now waiting for the Vice Chancellor and his team to un-fog the future with some swift planning and set the wheels in motion for subsequent debates.

 

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