DUTA Press Release, 19 June: DUTA opposes self-financing courses on Journalism & Cyber Law and reduction in M. Phil. seats

DUTA slams UGC letter of 15 June 2017 which refuses to fund teaching and non-teaching staff for new courses



DUTA opposes self-financing courses on Journalism & Cyber Law and reduction in M. Phil. seats


The DUTA, in its Executive meeting of 19 June 2017, discussed the agenda of the Academic Council scheduled for 20 June 2017. 




The DUTA also discussed the UGC letter of 15 June 2017 to the Registrar, DU regarding various new courses earlier approved by the Academic Council and the Executive Council of DU. While stating that the University of Delhi does not require any approval from the UGC, the letter says that the UGC will not bear any additional financial liability for these courses. It adds further that Colleges can start new courses with the approval of the University of Delhi but within their existing strength of both teaching and non-teaching staff.The DUTA notes that many colleges are working with skewed student-teacher ratio as the UGC has only released half the teaching posts which were promised to colleges under the OBC expansion 2007. As the existing staff with colleges is barely enough for the existing courses, the UGC’s refusal to fund additional teaching and non-teaching posts for new courses is unacceptable.


The DUTA sees the Government’s thrust on self-financed courses as a way to further push the agenda of commercialization. The UGC letter of 15 June 2017 is based on the UGC Draft Regulations 2016 which uses NAAC ratings /NIRF ranking to categorise universities and grant autonomy to Category I Universities to start new self-financing courses and centers without approval from the UGC. University of Delhi is ranked 8 by NIRF (https://www.nirfindia.org/UniversityRanking.html) and is therefore, being treated as Category I university even without the Draft Regulations being debated and adopted!


The DUTA condemns the Government’s move to use ratings and ranking to commercialise the public funded universities and colleges by converting them into teaching shops. Withdrawal of public funding shows lack of Government’s commitment to provide affordable quality education. Given the ever-growing economic disparity and the fact that we are a young country, withdrawal of public funding and pushing the burden of financing State and Central universities to parents and students is a betrayal which the country cannot afford.

DUTA opposes self financing Five-Year Integrated Course on Journalism & PGDCSL


The agenda for the 20 June Academic Council includes the proposal of the Department of Adult Continuing Education & Extension for introduction of Five Year Integrated Course on Journalism from the Academic Session and One Year Post Graduate Diploma in Cyber Security and Law (PGDCSL) from the Academic Session 2017-2018. Both these courses will be in self-financing mode. Further, it has been proposed that the University will establish Delhi School of Journalism and Delhi School of Cyber Security and Law. 


The Academic Council should withhold the permission on the following counts:


1.       The self-financing courses are a way to turn public funded universities into teaching shops. With the UGC letter of 15 June 2017, it is very clear that the University may not receive grants to convert these into regular courses. The University should start new courses and centers only when funding from the UGC is promised. Running courses on guest and ad-hoc faculty adversely impacts teachers, students and the institution.


2.       The Department of Adult Continuing Education & Extension cannot be made the custodian of these courses even as the Faculty of Applied Social Sciences and Humanities and the Faculty of Law exist in University of Delhi.


3.       The University of Delhi already offers BA (Hons) Journalism and Bachelor of Mass Media and Mass Communication through Faculty of Applied Social Sciences and Humanities.


4.       Starting a Five Year Integrated Course is in itself a policy decision and has not been debated in statutory bodies.


We see the rushed exercise of starting these courses and Schools as implementation of the Government’s agenda. The Academic Council should deliberate the issue in the light of the UGC Draft Regulations 2017 and the UGC letter of 15 June 2017. A university which has failed to fill over 4500 vacant positions cannot afford to further ad-hocism by opening self-financing courses and centers. We appeal to members, Academic Council not to approve these courses. The University should start new courses or centers only if the UGC promises funding for the required teaching and non-teaching posts and infrastructure.

New Ordinances will reduce M.Phil. seats, DUTA opposes adoption of the restrictive clause on M.Phil. seats




The DUTA also sees Clause 6.5 of the UGC Regulations 2016 on M.Phil. & Ph.D. as a way to reduce funding towards research. As University of Delhi recognises teaching as a priority, it had limited number of Ph.D. students a Supervisor can guide as per the UGC regulations 2009, restricting it to 8 Ph.D. students for a Professor, 6 Ph.D. scholars for an Associate Professor and 4 Ph.D. scholars for an Assistant Professor. However, restricting the number of M Phil students to 3 M. Phil.  students for a Professor, 2 M. Phil. scholars for an Associate Professor and 1 M.Phil. scholar for an Assistant Professor will bring down the number of M.Phil. seats drastically. Currently the Departments can enroll 25 M.Phil. students per year. This clause should be rejected and University of Delhi should pursue the matter with the UGC.