Education at stake? In row over Delhi University’s 4-year course, Vice Chancellor resigns
Supreme Court has also refused to hear the petition filed by a Delhi University professor
New Delhi: The Delhi University Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh resigned on Tuesday amid a huge controversy over the university's four-year undergraduate programme, which has left lakhs of students marooned. Singh refused to abide by the order to scrap the system.
DU VC Dinesh Singh resigns
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2014Singh has been under attack over the FYUP, which was introduced last year but came under renewed criticism ahead of start of this year's academic session.
Resignation is not enough,we want an inquiry into his term-Dr.Inder Kapahi,National Democratic Teachers Foundation(NDTF) on DU VC
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2014Matters came to a head when the UGC gave an ultimatum to the DU and its affiliated colleges to give up the four-year course and revert to its old three-year structure. They were asked to comply with the order by forenoon Monday.
Unfortunate, but DU VC has not cowed down to their pressure,he will fight for DU's autonomy-AN Mishra,DU Executive Council
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2014Its a victory of the ppl and the DU community-Nandita Narain,DUTA prez on DU VC resignation pic.twitter.com/8xQ86zjhBg
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2014However, the principals of the colleges affiliated to DU met on Monday and decided to defer this year's admissions, which were to start today.
Earlier in the day, Supreme Court had refused to hear the petition filed by a Delhi University professor who wanted the four-year course to continue. The court asked the professor to try the Delhi High Court instead.
A bench of justices Vikramajit Sen and S K Singh asked Prof Aditya Narayan Mishra to go to High Court against the direction issued by the UGC to DU against the controversial FYUP.
"Please go to High Court. The High Court would consider the matter and we would also have benefit of the reasoning of HC on the issue (when the matter comes before SC)," the bench said.
Mishra, an ex-DUTA(Delhi University Teachers' Association) President and an Assistant Professor at Aurbindo College, submitted in his plea that FYUP is valid and ordinance brought by the University regarding this is consistent with the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines.
College admissions have been suspended at the Delhi University amid the row over the FYUP introduced in 2013.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) wants to scrap it but the university has refused to comply.
FYUP has drawn flak from both students and teachers but the Delhi University has held that it will not be scrapped.
With admission to the undergraduate programme beginning on Tuesday, hassled students are hoping for clarity and a quick end to the UGC-DU row.
The standoff affects nearly 3 lakh students waiting to enroll in college this year.
Major colleges have held their cut-off lists for now.
Earlier on Monday, principals of 36 colleges held a meeting and decided to hold admissions till the dispute was resolved.
Student organisations protested before the office of the HRD ministry in New Delhi, however the ministry said it wouldn’t interfere in the matter.
Protests by teachers and students who want the 4-year-old course are likely to escalate today.
Teachers who favour the system also plan to sit on hunger strike for 24 hours.
Question here is how the current Govt has trampled on the autonomy of DU, university has become a laughing stock-Manish Tewari
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2014Colleges have also been directed by the UGC to stop admitting students under the FYUP and take fees only for the three years programme.
The UGC has also appointed a 10-member committee to oversee the transition into the old system. This means that the courses of over 60,000 students would have to be restructured who had enrolled last year under the 4-year format.
Watch: Delhi University teachers go on hunger strike