The Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday addressed the concerns over implementation of the CBCS from this year’s academic session during her maiden inspection visit to Delhi University.
Delhi University Teachers’ Association president Nandita Narain, who made a representation to the minister, said, “We raised the issue of CBCS and she assured us that she will soon call a teachers’ meeting, including teachers belonging to other central universities, to address concerns.”
The DU teacher body last month had passed a unanimous resolution opposing the University Grants Commission’s new scheme.
Many student and teacher groups have come out in strong opposition against the UGC’s recent attempt at academic reforms, saying that its ‘cafeteria’ approach to education will only lead to dilution of the academic standards in higher education, but also threaten autonomy of central universities.
As per the UGC, the new system proposes a common syllabus for all central universities, a common entrance test, faculty and student mobility, and credit transfers.
The CBCS was passed by the DU EC last week with only five dissents out of 23 opinions.
“On the issue of implementation of CBCS, the Minister maintained that in the meetings with the Vice Chancellors of Universities, the Vice Chancellors were asked to take a feedback from teachers. She was apprised of how discussion was not allowed in the Academic Council of 21 January 2015 and in the 28 May 2015 meeting of the Executive Council where a one liner resolution to implement CBCS was passed with almost all elected members dissenting,” DUTA said in a statement.
“Responding to this, she assured that she would invite teachers of Delhi University to discuss CBCS in next few days,” the statement added.