JOIN USStir against FYUP falls on deaf ears
Delhi University teachers and students against the implementation of four-year undergraduate programme will hold another round of protests on June 22 under the banner Joint Action Front for Democratic Education (SC/ST/OBC/Left).
The members said despite calls for intervention from persons concerned both from inside and outside the varsity no concrete action is being taken.
C L Maurya, a member of the Joint Action Front for Democratic Education (JAFDE) said they are compelled to hold another stir.
“We have been conveying to the government through all means, like holding demonstrations, organising meetings with academics and intellectuals and meeting leaders of different social and political organisations. We fail to understand how the government is being misled by vice-chancellor (VC) and ignoring the voices of specifically SC, ST, and OBC,” Maurya said.
Teachers group like BJP’s National Democratic Teachers’ Front (NDTF), and the recently split Academics for Action and Development (AAD), even though did not protest against FYUP implementation, but have shown concerns over several issues.
“NDTF wishes to assert that it neither blindly supports nor blindly oppose the FYUP,” said a NDTF open letter.
“The university authorities, under pressure from the government, have hustled through the FYUP. There had been no analytical or critical debate on the perceived failures of the three years system and on how these failures shall be rectified by the envisaged FYUP,” the letter stated.
While the AAD members welcomed the reforms, they said it should address the problems that may arise in future.
“Successful implementation of FYUP depends on the absorption of the existing ad hoc and temporary teachers in permanent mode. FYUP is a major academic reform started by the university with government support. The VC’s open letter be implemented in true spirit,” said chairman J Khuntia.
He added that Discipline 1 (Major) course under FYUP should be offered in all existing courses to save the work load.
The concerns raised by JAFDE are: “The course contents of other varsities will be different and how will it be reconciled. Will it not create discrimination in getting jobs? Will it not be difficult for rural and Indian languages background students to study compulsorily Maths, Science and English under two years of foundation course (FC) among others,” said a member adding that the protests will continue.