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Time of India
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
DU nod to course on Sikh martyrdom
New Delhi: 's academic council on Friday approved a new general elective course on Sikh martyrdom, draft guidelines for undergraduate research, and several new skill-based courses, including one on radio jockeying. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A proposal to allow students to earn a portion of their course credits online through the govt's SWAYAM platform drew objections from some teachers and was referred to a committee for further review. The new general elective, "Sikh Martyrdom in Indian History (c.1500–1765)", developed by the Centre for Independence and Partition Studies, seeks to familiarise students with Sikh resistance movements and episodes of religious persecution. It includes field visits, archival sources, and documentary screenings. Among the Skill Enhancement Courses (SECs) approved were modules in radio jockeying, vacuum technology, eco-printing on textiles, medical diagnostics, digital tools for interior design, and methods in epidemiological data analysis. The council also passed guidelines for implementing the fourth-year dissertation component under the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) from the upcoming academic session. Three academic tracks — research dissertation, academic project, and entrepreneurship — have been outlined, with clarity on supervisor eligibility, committee structures, and evaluation. However, several teachers voiced strong objections, calling the proposed framework "unrealistic" and "unsustainable" in its current form. They argued that the guidelines place undue pressure on students and faculty without any realignment of teaching hours or infrastructure support. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The outcomes listed are not based on any study of current outputs," one faculty member said, adding that a student–teacher ratio of up to 10:1 for dissertation supervision is "unmanageable" and that the maximum load should not exceed three to four students per teacher. Faculty also criticised the suggestion to fund lab and project infrastructure through student fees and HEFA loans, warning that this could raise student costs and overburden non-teaching staff. Meanwhile, the proposal to allow students to earn up to 5% of their total programme credits through SWAYAM and MOOCs—8 credits for UG and 4 for PG students—was not passed and will be examined by a committee. Some academic council members raised concerns that even a 5% cap could create academic inconsistencies and dilute classroom engagement, despite the UGC's 2021 regulations allowing up to 40% credits from such platforms. The council also approved an extension of two years for students from the 2016–17 batch to complete their degrees and clear backlogs, citing transitional disruptions due to changes in curriculum frameworks. Several new UG and PG programmes based on UGCF 2022 and PGCF 2024 were also approved by the council.
Hindustan Times
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Courses on Sikh martyrdom, radio jockeying cleared by DU academic council
New Delhi, Delhi University's Academic Council in its meeting on Saturday, approved a series of course additions, including a new undergraduate elective on 'Sikh Martyrdom in Indian History', guidelines for supervising fourth-year projects, and skill enhancement courses like 'Radio Jockeying'. Courses on Sikh martyrdom, radio jockeying cleared by DU academic council The General Elective paper on Sikh martyrdom, introduced by the Centre for Independence and Partition Studies , will be available to students across all colleges from the upcoming academic session, said an official statement of DU. The four-credit course will explore the development of Sikhism, "state persecution" under the Mughal Empire, and the "resistance" led by Sikh gurus and warriors such as Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Tegh Bahadur, Guru Gobind Singh, the Sahibzadas, and Banda Singh Bahadur. The course includes site visits to historically significant gurdwaras and forts, alongside screenings of documentaries and interactive tutorials. Officials said it aims to fill gaps in dominant historical narratives by highlighting the socio-religious contributions of the Sikh community. The council also approved guidelines for supervision of dissertations, academic projects, and entrepreneurship modules for the fourth year of undergraduate studies under the UGCF 2022 framework. As per the guidelines, all faculty members, with or without a PhD, are eligible to supervise such work. Each faculty member can guide up to ten students, subject to programme-specific ratios, and each student will be assigned an Advisory Committee for Research . Some council members, however, submitted a dissent note flagging concerns over high supervisory loads without adjustments in teaching hours. They recommended that faculty supervise no more than three to four students and that guest faculty be factored into the student-teacher ratio. Expanding hands-on learning opportunities, the university is set to launch a new skill enhancement course on 'Radio Jockeying', where students will be trained in voice modulation, diction, studio operations, live show hosting and interaction with industry professionals. The curriculum includes practical studio simulations, pronunciation drills, pitch control and show planning. Other newly approved SECs include 'Eco-Printing on Textiles', 'Vacuum Technology', Surface Ornamentation', 'Medical Diagnostics', and 'Digital Tools for Interior Designing'. In a relief measure for students impacted by the curriculum transition, DU has approved a two-year extension for students admitted in the 2016-17 academic session to clear their academic backlogs and qualify for a degree. The provision aims to support students affected by the switch from the CBCS to the UGCF system. The council also approved all curriculum changes proposed by the Standing Committee on Academic Matters, including the removal of papers related to Islam, Pakistan and China from the postgraduate Political Science syllabus. Another proposal, allowing up to 5 per cent of course credits to be earned via SWAYAM and MOOCs platforms from 2025-26 onwards, faced strong opposition from members who raised concerns over academic standards. A committee has been constituted to review the matter. Vice Chancellor Prof. Yogesh Singh also instructed departments to expedite the submission of pending paper evaluation bills, directing the Examination Branch and Finance Department to ensure timely payments to faculty. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
New chapter: DU plans UG course on Sikh resistance during Mughal period
New Delhi: Delhi University plans to introduce a course on Sikh martyrdom for all undergraduate students, focusing on how the Sikh community emerged in response to "religious persecution" and "state oppression" during the Mughal period and later during foreign invasions. Spanning the time frame between 1500 and 1765, the course traces the evolution of Sikh identity through episodes of resistance — from the martyrdom of Sikh gurus to the rise of Sikh warriors like Banda Singh Bahadur. It will be offered by the Centre for Independence and Partition Studies as a four-credit generic elective based on Undergraduate Curriculum Framework, 2022, making it accessible to students across disciplines. The course will be tabled for approval before the Academic Council of the University slated to meet on July 5. The final decision lies with the Executive Council, DU's highest decision-making body. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi According to the curriculum, the course aims to "throw light on the moral basis of emergent struggle by Sikhs to resist religious persecution" and "focus on the neglected social-religious history of martyrdom in the Indian context." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo It also aims to "encourage critical and reflective engagement with Sikh history, especially the legacy of martyrdom, from a moral and socio-political perspective." The syllabus is divided into four units. The first unit begins with an overview of how Sikhism emerged, the conditions in Punjab under the Mughal empire, what martyrdom means in the Sikh tradition, and the contributions of the early Sikh gurus from Guru Nanak Dev to Guru Ramdas. The second unit looks at how the Mughal state used its power to suppress Sikhs. It focuses on the lives and martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev and Guru Tegh Bahadur, as well as the responses to state policies during the time of Guru Hargobind and Guru Harkrishan. It also includes the stories of Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das, and Bhai Dayala. The third unit delineates the forging of Sikh identity by Guru Gobind Singh by organising community and by opposing the "misdeeds of the Mughal State". It also covers the struggle of Sikhs under Guru Gobind Singh, their battles, the martyrdom of Sahibzadas, the rise of Banda Singh Bahadur, his victorious battles and his martyrdom. The final part focuses on other key Sikh warriors and martyrs and their struggle in encountering "religious bigotry of Mughal rulers and foreign invaders". It also highlights important places linked to Sikh history, such as Sri Harmandir Sahib, Anandpur Sahib, Sirhind, Gurdwara Sis Ganj, Gurdwara Rakab Ganj, and Lohgarh Fort. The syllabus includes field visits along with documentary screenings and engagement with translated primary sources like Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri and Bichitra Natak. The course's learning outcomes state that students will be able to "understand the historical and religious basis of Sikh resistance and martyrdom," assess the "repressive strategies of the Mughal state," and critically engage with how Sikh history has been remembered and narrated. Welcoming the initiative, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Delhi cabinet minister and former president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), said the course was a long-overdue recognition of the Sikh community in mainstream education and a timely addition ahead of the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur in Nov. "DU's effort to highlight how the community stood up to religious persecution under Mughal rulers or foreign invaders is not only historically accurate but essential for national awareness. Our younger generation must know the price their ancestors paid for justice and faith," he told TOI. Sirsa added that the "teachings of Sikh gurus like Guru Nanak or Guru Tegh Bahadur hold relevance in the current socio-political times and must be taught to students." However, the course has drawn criticism from a section of DU teachers for its alleged controversial framing. "The proposed paper is a cause of much concern as it stretches the era of struggle for independence from British colonial rule to the earlier Mughal rule. The course conceals the fact that the Mughals were well assimilated within Indian society. While they unleashed many kinds of oppressions — a general feature of all medieval political players — they did not facilitate a drain of wealth from India to outside and rampant racism, both of which were the hallmarks of British colonialism," said professor Maya John, an academic council member. "Further, for their sustenance, the Mughals nurtured local alliances across religious communities, including the Sikh community, which consequently paved the way for many syncretic traditions and a flourishing social mosaic. Such courses will have an adverse effect on the ways in which future citizenry of the country will reflect back on their past," she added.
