DU to follow 'no retention' policy

Students to move to next level even after failing in one semester

Delhi University Task Force members responsible for framing syllabus for the four-year graduation programme to be implemented by the next academic session said students, who fail in their respective semester, will be promoted to the next semester.

“In the Task Force meeting held on Wednesday it was decided that students who fail in the first semester will have to attempt the failed papers in the third semester and students who fail in second semester will have to reappear in the fourth semester,” said Anurag Mishra, a Task Force member.

Mishra said this even and odd concept will be followed in all eight semesters.
The members said this will benefit students as in the existing system they have to skip a year.

“Right now if a student is failed in a semester, he cannot be promoted to the next semester until he re appear for it next year. The new idea is not to let the student sit at home for an entire year,” added Mishra.

In the present system students have to score 40 per cent in individual subject and aggregate. There are discussions on trimming the existing syllabus also in the new graduation format, although nothing has been decided yet.

“There has been brainstorming over dividing syllabus without affecting the quality. The present syllabus is too bulky. There are talks to make it compact to help students, who are over burdened in the present system,” said a member.A section of teachers are of the view that the changes being decided for the new syllabus can be put in place in the current system instead of a ‘hurried’ over hauling of the entire system.

A Gargi College professor said changing the examination pattern and revising the syllabus could have been incorporated in the present system.

“The new system is for those who want to pursue further studies abroad after graduation but face issues due to a different degree pattern. Exit points in the four-year graduation will be detrimental. Right now every student was able to get a graduation degree,” the professor said.