UGC toughens stand in confrontation with DU

Brushing aside the resistance of Delhi University Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh who enacted a resignation drama, the University Grants Commission on Tuesday hardened its stand and directed scrapping of the controversial four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) and implementation of the old three-year course. 

An overwhelming majority of the Delhi University colleges, including the prestigious ones, has accepted the UGC's direction, the commission said in a press release in the night.

The UGC's reiteration of the order came on a day of high drama when DU's media coordinator Malay Neerav circulated a message that the "VC has resigned", which his supporters later denied.

After the VC and the DU media coordinator remained inaccessible for most part of the day, Neerav came up with a late night SMS to the media that the "VC hasn't put in his papers".

"The Pro VC Shri Sudheesh Pachauri has already clarified in his press briefing that faculty members of the university met the VC and made an honest request to the VC that he must not resign," his statement said.

A day after the DU colleges' principals association decided to defer admissions, the UGC today said 57 of the 64 colleges under the DU, including prestegious ones, have said that they are complying with its directive to start admissions for the three-year programme.

The release also listed the colleges which have agreed to implement the three-year programme that inclue the Hindu College, Jesus and Mary, St Stephens, Miranda House, Sri Venkateswara, Lady Sri Ram College and Sri Ram College of Commerce.

"Today, the UGC sent another communication to the University of Delhi directing it to immediately issue a letter to the Delhi Colleges for admitting students to the three-year undergraduatge programme, the UGC said in a press release after six hours of deliberations with HRD ministry officials.

Victory celebrations broke out among students and teachers opposed to the FYUP but the VC's supporters claimed he has not resigned.

In Tuesday's statement, the UGC assured all the students that none of them will be put to any inconvenience and their "interest will be protected".

B.Tech students of DU, who had staged a protest in front of the UGC office here, said they met senior UGC officials who have assured them of keeping their interest in mind while deciding on how to seamlessly migrate to the three-year programme.

The deadline set by it about implementing the three-year programme expired yesterday but the DU failed to send its compliance report to the UGC.

It had sent another communication yesterday evening but the DU failed to send a compliance report today.

The commission has already constituted a standing committee, headed by its its vice chairman, to advice the DU for migration from FYUP to the three-year undergraduate programme.

On Monday, the Principals' Association of the DU had decided to defer the admission process that was to start on Tuesday covering over 2.70 lakh applicants vying for over 54,000 seats in 64 colleges.

Image: DU students protest over the controversial FYUP programme, in Delhi on Tuesday

Photograph: PTI