JOIN USA group of academicians from Delhi’s central universities on Thursday opposed the University Grants Commission’s Choice Based Credit System, saying the government is showing “authoritarian impatience to introduce wholesale changes” without holding a proper consultation with them.
The opposition to the BJP-led central government’s attempt at academic reforms comes weeks after the commission in a public notice said it is ready with the Draft Model Syllabi for undergraduate courses. The UGC plans to introduce CBCS in varsities across India starting this year.
While suggesting ways to bring academic reforms, the group of academics alleged that the Ministry of Human Resource Development is rushing through with its “ill-conceived” choice-based system.
The commission in a notice issued on April 10 had sought feedback from stakeholders within 15 days. Claiming that the new system stresses on standardisation, the group said homogenisation of curricula across universities is not a means to enhance quality. The new system proposes a common syllabus for all central universities, a common entrance test, faculty and student mobility, and credit transfers, according to the UGC.
Renowned historian and Emerita professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University Romila Thapar said, “A centralised control over what can be a really standardised curriculum is very suggestive of lack of academic rigour.”
“The spate of circulars sent by the University Grants Commission (UGC) quoting a period of month for working on the major reforms is certainly not a sensible approach to be adopted for higher education by any country. The way these reforms are being pushed, the entire higher education sector is at risk,” Thapar told reporters at a news conference.
Farida Khan, professor at Jamia Millia Islamia University’s School of Education, said, “The justifications offered for the sweeping changes are enhanced employability, skill development and seamless nationwide mobility for students.” The reforms fail to differentiate between curricula and syllabi, she added.Instead of giving a green signal to the UGC’s ambitious plan of implementing CBCS from the forthcoming academic session, the group proposed an alternate way of achieving seamless national-wide mobility for students. The government should promote intensive collaborations among universities for wider access to institutions, the group said. It also asked the government to introduce short-term exchange programmes for research students. Delhi University Teachers’ Association president Nandita Narain said they plan to start a joint student-teacher movement to block the implementation of CBCS.