DUTA Letter to Staff Associations: req. SAs to hold meetings to discuss NEP and FYUP: 08.03.2021

The President/Secretary/Office Bearers

Staff Association

_____________

_____________

8.3.2021

Dear colleagues,

As part of the phased implementation of NEP 2020, the University has circulated on 20 February 2021 a proposed FYUP structure with multiple exits recommended by an NEP Implementation Committee it set up in October 2020.

With regard to academic restructuring, the NEP stipulates: 1) freedom to a student to design her degree by acquiring credits through choice of papers within and across institutions whether in online or offline mode; 2) freedom to a student to complete degree at her own pace and change track midway; 3) an FYUP with wide range of choices and multiple exit for making the two objectives possible as well as for multidisciplinarity to become its core along with provision for research at UG level; 4) 1 or 2 years PG programme, abolition of MPhil and provision for joining PhD after FYUP with research component.

The current draft FYUP has to be evaluated in the light of the entire academic restructuring that proposes to integrate HEIs into a boundary free “ecosystem”. Its academic implications and teacher requirements should be evaluated both within the proposed ecosystem, especially the draft Regulation on Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) that lays down procedures and provisions for credit deposit, credit transfer and credit redemption across institutions. The objective is to enable students to “tailor their degrees or make specific modifications…” free from “rigid, regularly prescribed degrees/courses” by any institution. (4.4) To this end, it allows students to accumulate credits through offline or online mode (6.3) “to choose 100% courses as per their choice” for a UG degree “specified as Bachelor of Liberal Education.” (6.8). It specifies that a student can get a degree by completing as low as 30% of credit requirements in the institution to which they are admitted.

It is necessary to examine the implications of the ABC and whether it would occasion further modification of the proposed structure once DU comes under its ambit. The Minister of HRD has announced that the regulation will be in place in May / June and the universities would amend their rules accordingly.

Since the NEP proposes institution of a Board of Governors for each institution which is to be free from external interference and will govern all aspects of the institutions ranging from courses on offer, admission, appointment and service conditions of all employees including its Head, courses and course structures will belong to its domain. The present structure seems to be preparatory to the handover of control as institutions are handed over to BoGs in a phased manner.

The NEP as well as its rollout is to affect our existence and the nature of our engagement with the institutions and students. It is desirable, therefore, as an enlightened community, that we engage with the implications and the desirability of the changes being thrust upon us.

Please find enclosed:

(1) Proposed FYUP structure

(2) NEP 2020 document

(3) Draft ABC Regulations