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NDTV
6 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Courses On Sikh Martyrdom, Radio Jockeying Cleared By Delhi University Academic Council
New Delhi: Delhi University's Academic Council (AC) 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 (SECs) like 'Radio Jockeying'. The General Elective (GE) paper on Sikh martyrdom, introduced by the Centre for Independence and Partition Studies (CIPS), 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 (ACR). 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 (SEC) 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.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
DU's academic council approves courses on Sikh martyrdom, radio jockeying as a part of UG elective subjects
Delhi University's Academic Council (AC) 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 (SECs) like 'Radio Jockeying'. The General Elective (GE) paper on Sikh martyrdom, introduced by the Centre for Independence and Partition Studies (CIPS), 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. DU Academic Calendar 2025-26 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 (ACR). 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 (SEC) 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.
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Nod at key DU meeting to course on ‘Sikh martyrdom', credits through online platforms leads to objections
A slew of curriculum changes were approved on Saturday at the Academic Council (AC) meeting of the University of Delhi amid a sharp dissent from a section of faculty over content control, outsourcing of credit hours, and the shifting locus of teaching authority. Among the key decisions was the approval of a new general elective course titled 'Sikh Martyrdom in Indian History (c.1500–1765)' to be offered by the Centre for Independence and Partition Studies (CIPS). The course aims to critically explore the development of Sikhism and the historical context of martyrdom under Mughal rule, covering key figures such as Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Tegh Bahadur, and Banda Singh Bahadur. The nod, however, faced immediate criticism from some members of the council. AC member and history professor Maya John called its academic positioning 'highly objectionable.' 'The offering of this course by the CIPS is itself concerning,' she said, objecting that it will be taught outside the History department. John further flagged the absence of clarity on where and how the 60-hour course will be taught, given that students enrolled in various colleges will be selecting it as a generic elective. Calling for scholarly rigour, John said: 'I strongly recommend the inclusion of primary readings like the Zafarnama, Aurangzeb's Will, the writings of Bhai Mani Singh, and works by scholars such as Yoginder Sikand, K.S. Duggal, G.S. Chabra, and Hardip Singh Syan.' She urged that the course be suitably modified and taught by trained historians. Another agenda item that was criticised was the formal adoption of a provision allowing undergraduate and postgraduate students to earn up to 40% of their credits through online platforms such as SWAYAM and MOOCs. SWAYAM has been developed by the Indian government to provide free online courses. While the move aligns with UGC guidelines and aims to offer flexibility and multidisciplinary access, it drew strong opposition from several faculty members. 'The award of 5% credits through Swayam and MOOCs will gravely jeopardise the integrity and academic standards of DU's UG and PG programmes,' said John. 'It will contribute to endemic flux in teaching workloads, diminish meaningful student-teacher engagement, and compromise classroom instruction,' John added. Echoing these concerns, the Academic for Action and Development, Delhi Teachers' Association, the university teacher body, said in a statement: 'What's more alarming is that institutions may allow up to 40% of the total courses in any semester to be offered online. Courses taught in classrooms for decades will now be shifted online. And with that shift, teachers will slowly be pushed out of the system, silenced by screens, replaced by portals.' The Council also approved the implementation of the fourth year of UG programmes under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) 2022. Students in their final year will now have the option to pursue one of three tracks — Dissertation, Academic Projects, or Entrepreneurship. Faculty members, regardless of whether they hold a PhD, will be eligible to supervise, provided they have relevant expertise. An Advisory Committee for Research (ACR) will oversee project allocations. In a relief, the Council also passed a resolution allowing students admitted in the 2016–17 academic session an extension of two additional years to clear backlogs. This was done in view of course restructuring during the transition from CBCS to UGCF, which reportedly left several students behind schedule. 'Those who have fallen behind by one year in the final stage of CBCS will be able to avail this benefit,' the resolution noted. DU's Skill Enhancement Courses (SEC) also saw new additions. Students will now be able to take up radio jockeying as a course. The curriculum will include training in voice modulation, studio operation, scripting, anchoring, and music curation. Students will be given exposure to mock studio sessions and interactions with professionals. Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh directed that pending bills related to paper checking be cleared urgently. 'All departments should submit the bills soon and ensure payment without delay,' he instructed the Examination and Finance branches. A condolence resolution was also passed in memory of late Professor P C Joshi, former Pro-Vice Chancellor and Acting VC of DU.
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- 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.
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Business Standard
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Punjab BJP deletes tribute post for those killed during Operation Bluestar
The Punjab BJP has deleted a social media post in which it paid tributes to "martyrs" of Operation Blue Star, the Army operation which was carried out in June 1984 to flush out armed militants from the Golden Temple. The post on X was shared on Sunday but it was taken down later without assigning any reason for the same. In the post, the Punjab BJP had condemned the then Congress government for "attacking the Golden Temple" and expressed solidarity with the families of those who lost their lives. The post, which has now been deleted, read, "June 1, 1984'?' 'Saka Neela Tara'. A humble tribute to all the martyrs of the day one of the attack on the Darbar Sahib by the Congress government." In a statement, Gargaj stated, "In June 1984, when Sikh devotees had gathered to observe the martyrdom day of the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev, the then Congress-led government launched a military assault using tanks, artillery, and bullets on the central Sikh religious place, Sachkhand Sri Harmandar Sahib, and Sri Akal Takht Sahib." He said, "the Sikh community can never forget the military attack of June 1984. "The first week of June each year is a deeply emotional and solemn time for the 'Panth', when martyrs are remembered," he said. The jathedar urged that from June 1 to 6, special 'Gurmat Samagams' (religious congregations), lectures, and seminars should be organised globally by Sikhs. He also instructed all gurdwara management committees to hold special Sri Akhand Path Sahib recitations and invite historians and preachers to gurdwaras to educate 'sangat' (congregation) about the events of June 1984 and November 1984 (anti-Sikh riots).
