Teachers say credit system new form of FYUP, reject it

NEW DELHI: Staff associations from 30 colleges of Delhi University have voted against the proposed Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) that universities across India are scheduled to implement from 2015-16 academic session. The feedback on CBCS from the staff associations was sought by the DU Teachers' Association.
A statement issued by DUTA on Wednesday stated that "nearly 30 colleges sent in their resolutions totally rejecting or opposing the CBCS." The colleges included Acharya Narendra Dev, Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Bhaskarcharya College of Applied Science, College of Vocational Studies, Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Indraprastha College, Kirori Mal, Lady Shri Ram, Miranda House, SGTB Khalsa, among others.
Most of the resolutions highlighted the teachers' experience of the semester system and four-year undergraduate programme and it was felt that the quality of the teaching-learning process had been greatly undermined leading to academic dilution.
Teachers also felt that since the CBCS was based on the semester system and was a new form of FYUP, its implementation would have disastrous consequences. They expressed their dismay at the brazen manner in which the government is trying to impose a uniform structure and curriculum disregarding academic autonomy. With this, the role of teachers in policy matters and decision making would be removed, reducing them to lecture delivering machines.
The UGC document does not make it clear how the CBCS will address the existing crisis in higher educational institutions today, such as shortage of faculty, lack of infrastructure, skewed teacher student ratio, among others. Instead of trying to address the issues of quality, equity and accessibility, it chooses to shrug off its responsibility by proposing the PPP model, which will accentuate the problems rather than addressing them.
The DUTA Executive said that opposition to CBCS will be communicated forthright to the HRD ministry and UGC and demanded a dialogue on what "reforms" should entail for universities today. It also decided that a general body meeting will be held in the first week of May.