Anger against DU's FYUP refuses to abate

Campus calling

This fight seems to be never-ending! Delhi University, one of the to our-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP), the students are once again demanding its rollback. A year has passed, but the situation remains the same. The students either want FYUP rolled back or the foundation courses to be made optional.

But, it seems no one is thinking about the future of the students who are being affected by the new four-year regimen. 

Talking to Metrolife, Rohit Chahal, member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Bharatiya Janata Party’s youth wing, slammed the authorities for implementing the four-year course. “This is a total dictatorship by Vice Chancellor of the university. He never spoke to any student or teacher about FYUP, he never consulted anyone, he just implemented it.” 

“We have started a class to class campaign where we are distributing pamphlets and posters among the students and we are getting immense support from them. Even teachers are supporting us on this. The authorities are just playing with the future of the students and are only looking at a bigger agenda – getting foreign universities to India. Rather than improving the infrastructure of the university, they are doing what is not needed. There are 4000 vacant posts for teachers but they are not hiring them,”adds Rohit.

Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia has given another ‘jolt’ to the students and teachers with his announcement. While it may have spelled good news for many, teachers and students have slammed the announcement to reserve 90 per cent seats for Delhi students in DU colleges which are fully funded by the State Government.Sanam Khanna, English teacher at Kamala Nehru College, said, “Both Delhi students and students from outstation will be at loss. Outstation students have lesser options and that is why they come to Delhi to study here.

If this happens, the local students will also not be able to enjoy the atmosphere of a central university, which gives a pan-India growth. It helps in overall education of a student. If the government wants to do something, they should rather open new colleges and universities and make education affordable for all. A central university helps increase national unity and growth and hence this decision is not welcomed.”Such reservation makes no sense as a lot of students look forward to studying at the university, which holds an aspirational value for them.

An ex-student of DU, Ekta Sarin, said, “Moving out from families is a tough decision for all. And if every state has good universities, no one would like to go to another state for higher education. Agar aisa hi hai toh DU ke takkar ke universities banana chahiye. Everyone has the right to get good quality education and no one should stop talents to grow. This would be injustice to students from other parts of the country.”