DU approves new courses, likely to be implemented only next year

The standing committee of Delhi University’s academic council on Monday gave its nod to new courses proposed by the varsity-affiliated colleges, which include BSc in Forensic Sciences at Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College.

But the new programmes are likely to be offered from the academic session 2016-17.  

The committee, chaired by Pro-Vice Chancellor  Professor Sudhish Pachauri, has approved new courses for colleges like Khalsa College, Ramanujan College, Gargi College, Kalindi College, Aryabhatta College, Indraprastha College for Women, Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Bharti College and Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce.

The recommendations will be sent to the academic and executive councils for clearance.

“Some 20-25 colleges had applied for new courses, and the recommendations of the inspection committee that visited these colleges were tabled in the meeting. Mostly, all the recommendations were accepted,” a standing committee member told Deccan Herald.  

“But there is a question mark over implementation of these courses from the next academic session, as there is very less time to convene the academic council meeting. The colleges are to start with admissions next month,” the member said.
SGTB Khalsa College will become the first college in DU to start a course in Forensic Studies, while the existing popular course Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) will now also be offered in three more colleges.

Gobind Singh College of Commerce, Ramanujan College and SGTB Khalsa College will be the three new colleges introducing BBS. Currently, the course is being offered by four colleges and has a total of 275 seats.

BSc (Hons) Computer Science will be introduced by Aryabhatta College, Ramanujan College, Shri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College, SGTB Khalsa College, Shivaji College and Delhi College of Arts and Commerce.

Kalindi College as it has been permitted to start undergraduate courses in Chemistry, Geography and Zoology.  Three other women colleges that are getting new courses are Gargi College (BSc -Hons- Mathematics), IP College (Sociology) and Bharti College (BA -Hons- Journalism).

The sanctioned strength for Science courses has been set at 32, while 40-46 students can be admitted to Arts and Commerce programmes.

The colleges are awarded new courses based on their infrastructural strength, which include faculty strength, libraries and laboratories.  Demand for the courses is also factored in while awarding new courses.