New Delhi: Union Human Resources Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani on Monday said that her ministry will not intervene in a row between the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Delhi University regarding admissions under its controversial Four Year undergraduate Program.
Talking to reporters, the Minister said, “St Stephens and Delhi University are fully aware that UGC is supreme. The HRD Ministry will not intervene in it. The Delhi University must comply with the UGC order.”
The statement from the HRD Minister came shortly after her meeting with the UGC officials even as various students' bodies continued to protest outside the HRD Ministry and in the campus of Delhi University over the controversial FYUP.
Irani had called for an emergency meeting after members of various students' bodies staged a protest outside her ministry demanding a clarification regarding admissions to the Delhi University's controversial FYUP on Monday.
Member of AISA, NSUI and ABVP protested over the FYUP and demanded a clarification from the University officials over the issue.
The UGC chairman also met the HRD Secretary over the matter. Meanwhile, the Congress today slammed the Centre for playing politics on the issue.
Congress leader Manish Tewari questioned the UGC asking why was it silent when the university had implemented the FYUP.
"Where was the UGC then if they had reservations? Why didn't they advise the DU not to implement it. Has the UGC become a scapegoat? What's going to happen to the students," Tewari asked.
He also said that the university has become a laughing stock because of the issue. "This makes the university a complete laughing stock. It is reflective of the attitude of the NDA towards institutions. If they trifle and tamper with autonomy of the institutions it will not augur well for the country," he said.
Hitting out at the BJP for waiting till the admissions to rake up the FYUP issue, Tewari said, "If the BJP wanted to do this then they should have done it the day they were sworn in. Why wait till this time and play with the future of students? My difficulty is with the manner and timing of the decision. Universities build reputations over decades. What kind of a message are you sending out? They wanted to implement a manifesto promise, they should have done it when they took over so that there is clarity."
The face-off between the UGC and the DU has led some of its affiliated colleges, including St Stephens, to defer their admissions procedure till the issue is resolved. The cut-off list for admissions in various Delhi University colleges will now be released tomorrow.
The Delhi University will today submit a compliance report to the UGC a day after it asked the varsity and all its colleges to conduct admissions only under the three-year undergraduate programme and not under the controversial FYUP.
In a directive issued on Sunday, the UGC warned the Delhi University that any deviation from its order will have serious consequences.
The UGC direction for the coming academic session came a day after the Delhi University struck a defiant note, rejecting the Commission's directive to scrap the controversial four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP).
"Under no circumstances shall the University of Delhi or any of the colleges under it admit students to the FYUP for academic year 2014-15," the Commission said in a statement on Sunday.
"And further that any deviation from this directive either by the University of Delhi or any of the colleges under it shall be deemed to be in contravention of the UGC Act, 1956 with its consequences," it said.
Officials said disobeying the UGC direction could spell trouble for Delhi University as it could stand to lose grants and degrees offered by the varsity could be de-recognised.
The UGC said that it would be ensured that students, who were admitted in 2013-14 in FYUP when it was introduced, are able to migrate to the three-year programme.
In the statement, the UGC said "admission for academic year 2014-15 at the undergraduate level in the general degree programmes (including the Honours programme in different subjects of Humanities, Science and Commerce) in various colleges under the University of Delhi shall only be to the three-year undergraduate programme which was offered prior to the introduction of the FYUP".
The UGC has constituted a ten-member standing committee with representations from teachers, students and statutory bodies to advice DU for the implementation of the directive. The standing committee will meet around 4 pm, said a committee member.
The commission Saturday constituted the standing committee headed by the UGC vice chairman with representatives from the academic and executive councils of DU, Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA), Delhi University Students Union (DUSU), college principals and teachers to advise the varsity on change-over.
They would ensure that students, who were admitted in 2013-14 are able to migrate to the three-year programme, without any hassle and acquire necessary academic and other competencies during the next two academic years, it said.
At its full commission meeting on June 13, the UGC had asked Delhi University to review the programme as it felt that it was in violation of the national policy on education which follows the 10-plus 2-plus 3 pattern.
The Delhi University, however, stood by the programme and in a reply to the commission has maintained that it has followed due procedure. The varsity on Sunday said it had revised the programme to make it compliant with the National Policy on Education (NPE).
Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) along with several student organisations such as NSUI and ABVP has been demanding immediate roll back of the FYUP and the VC's resignation.
BJP had during the elections promised to scrap the FYUP if it comes to power.
The UGC is a statutory organisation responsible for co-ordination, determination and maintenance of standards of education as well of disbursal of funds for universities in the country.
First Published: Monday, June 23, 2014, 08:39
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