4-year undergraduate programme could return to DU in 2021-22 session

A committee set up to implement the National Education Policy at DU is 'actively discussing' reintroduction of FYUP from academic year 2021-22.

The administrative block at Delhi University's North Campus | Photo: du.ac.in

New Delhi: Seven years after it was junked, the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) is set to be reintroduced at Delhi University from the 2021-22 academic session, ThePrint has learnt.

DU had implemented FYUP in 2013 when Prof. Dinesh Singh was the vice-chancellor, but the programme was junked a year later by the Smriti Irani-led Ministry of Human Resource Development (now Ministry of Education).

The programme is set to return as a part of the new National Education Policy (NEP). A committee formed under the chairmanship of Prof. Vivek Suneja to carry out the implementation of the NEP 2020 in DU is discussing reintroducing the FYUP.

According to the NEP, once FYUP is implemented, students will have multiple exit options and will be given a qualification according to the number of years they spend at the university — a certificate in one year, a diploma in two, a three-year degree, or a four-year undergraduate degree if they complete the course.

No more honours courses

At least two members on DU’s NEP committee confirmed to ThePrint that the proposal is being actively discussed. Sources in the university also said once the four-year programme kicks in, there will no longer be ‘honours’ courses in science, commerce and the humanities.

“The NEP implementation committee is actively discussing starting FYUP in the university from the coming session. If that happens, the nomenclature of the degree will not be honours anymore. It will just be called a degree and students will have the option to exit in three years. If they complete four years they will get a four-year degree,” said Seema Das, a member of DU’s Academic Council, who is also a member of the NEP committee.

Another member of the committee, who did not wish to be named, said: “The committee is recommending FYUP as a part of NEP implementation. The recommendation has to be passed by the Academic Council, before it can be finalised.”

The Academic Council looks after all academic and administrative matters, and gives suggestions to the university administration.

Vikas Gupta, the university’s registrar, told The Print that “DU would like to start FYUP along with other universities”, but is awaiting recommendations from the NEP committee.

“We are waiting for the recommendations of the NEP implementation committee, which shall be placed before the Academic Council and the Executive Council. We would like to start the implementation of the recommendations of the NEP alongside other universities,” he said.

Asked about the three-year honours programmes currently offered by DU, Gupta said: “The three-year honours courses are already in place. Once we are able to decide the framework of the four-year programme, only then a holistic decision would be taken about the nomenclature and structure of the courses. With the implementation of NEP recommendations, the number of courses would increase, which will further increase the number of teachers required.”