DU: Back to three years

Many students heaved a sigh of relief as the tug of war between the University of Delhi and the University Grants Commission over the rollback of the contentious four-year-undergraduate programme (FYUP) finally ended with the DU administration agreeing to re-launch three-year degrees. The first cut-off list is expected today (June 30) and admissions would begin tomorrow. “I am glad the tussle is over now and we will enroll for the programme soon. It was a very stressful time for me and my family. I arrived in Delhi on June 24 and since then, I have been anxious, going to the university, following the news, hoping the matter would be settled soon. I have family in Delhi, so I had a place to stay,” says a DU aspirant from Raipur.

A statement issued by Dinesh Singh, vice-chancellor, DU, said, “The University of Delhi recognizes the need of the hour. It is of paramount importance to protect the interests of the students by ensuring the start of the admission process. In line with the directive of the UGC, the university has decided to roll back the FYUP. The principals of our colleges shall assist in devising and ensuring speedy completion of the admission process.”

The admission process will now be conducted under the scheme of courses that were offered in the 2012-13 academic year in all DU colleges. For this, a 14-member committee of principals has been formed to monitor advice and facilitate admissions under the three-year structure. “The committee of principals, will devise the modalities for admissions and advise and monitor all related issues in colleges,” the university said in a press release.

For the first time in the university’s history, undergraduate admissions have been delayed because of the DU-UGC stalemate.