Latest news with #MithuraajDhusiya
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Why DU's curriculum overhaul is raising concerns over academic transparency amid FYUP rollout
How Delhi University is preparing for the fourth year under NEP 2020 with infrastructure and staffing plans Delhi University (DU) has approved a major set of academic and infrastructural changes, including the introduction of the fourth year in undergraduate courses under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. While the administration claims readiness, sections of the university community have raised concerns about transparency, governance, and academic rigour linked to the curriculum changes. The approval came during a meeting of DU's Executive Council, where several key proposals were passed. Among the most contested changes is the removal of content related to Pakistan, Islam, and China from the postgraduate Political Science syllabus — a move that has attracted criticism from within the university's academic bodies. Controversial syllabus changes draw opposition The changes to the syllabus, initially cleared by the Academic Council on June 5, were formally approved by the Executive Council. Mithuraaj Dhusiya, a member of the Executive Council, objected to the manner in which the changes were implemented. He alleged that several courses were significantly altered before reaching the Academic Council, thereby bypassing standard academic procedure. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ingin Tahu Tentang Diagnosis Limfoma? Dapatkan Info Selengkapnya Limfoma Baca Undo As reported by the PTI, Dhusiya said this compromised transparency in curriculum development. Preparedness for FYUP and staffing concerns Vice Chancellor Professor Yogesh Singh chaired the Executive Council meeting and asserted that DU is "fully prepared" for the implementation of the fourth year under the FYUP beginning in the 2025–26 academic session. As quoted by the PTI, Singh said that more than 60 per cent of undergraduate students are expected to opt for the fourth year. In response to staffing concerns, Singh stated that only regular faculty will teach fourth-year students, while guest faculty may assist with teaching in lower years. According to the PTI, he also mentioned that regular teachers may take additional classes and that provision for adequate compensation would be made for both teaching and non-teaching staff. Major infrastructure projects underway The university has approved infrastructure projects worth approximately Rs 1,912.15 crore, with Rs 329 crore already released, according to updates shared at the meeting. These projects include the WUS Health Centre and a new computer centre in North Campus, as well as expansions to the science block and Social Centre School Building at Maurice Nagar. In South Campus, new academic buildings are planned, including one at the SP Jain parking area. Hostel projects have also been approved, including new accommodations for female students and working women at Dhaka campus, and expansions to existing hostels. Digital access and entrepreneurship initiatives Professor Singh also highlighted recent digital upgrades. As reported by the PTI, he said that Wi-Fi infrastructure across the university has been upgraded at a cost of Rs 65.71 crore, and the university library is now fully digitised, giving students round-the-clock access to more than two lakh e-books and journals. College principals were encouraged to establish start-up incubators and register Section-8 companies to promote entrepreneurship among students. Additional initiatives and recognitions Other decisions included a proposal to develop Dr B.R. Ambedkar Udyan in the Faculty of Social Sciences and to rename an auditorium in his honour. A committee has also been formed to explore the launch of a sports scholarship in memory of late Union minister and DU alumnus Arun Jaitley. The PTI reported that the committee will consult Jaitley's family before finalising the proposal. Delhi University's performance in the QS World University Rankings 2026 was also shared. DU has reached 30th position globally in employment outcomes, rising 14 spots, and now ranks seventh among Indian institutions with an overall global rank of 328.
Indian Express
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
DU approves curriculum changes amid dissent, VC emphasises readiness for UG 4th year
The Executive Council of Delhi University in its meeting on Saturday, approved key academic and infrastructural proposals, including several controversial curriculum changes. Among the most debated revisions was the removal of papers on Pakistan, Islam and China from the postgraduate Political Science syllabus, changes previously cleared by the Academic Council on June 5 amidst internal opposition. Executive Council member Mithuraaj Dhusiya raised objections over the manner in which these syllabus changes were pushed through. He alleged that many courses were being significantly altered before even reaching the Academic Council, thereby bypassing due academic process and compromising transparency. The meeting, chaired by Vice Chancellor Professor Yogesh Singh, also confirmed the appointment of Professor Rajni Abbi as the new director of Delhi University's South Campus. The vice chancellor used the occasion to reiterate that the university is 'fully prepared' for the rollout of the fourth year of undergraduate studies under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which will begin in the 2025-26 academic session. He highlighted that over 60 per cent of undergraduate students are expected to opt for the fourth year. Addressing concerns regarding faculty shortages, the vice chancellor said only regular teachers will handle fourth-year classes, the guest faculty may assist with junior-level teaching. Regular teachers may also take additional classes and suitable compensation will be ensured for both teaching and non-teaching staff, he added. The vice chancellor further said that Wi-Fi connectivity across the university has been significantly upgraded at a cost of Rs 65.71 crore and the university library has been fully digitised, giving students 24×7 access to more than two lakh e-books and journals. He also encouraged the principals of all colleges to establish startup incubators and register Section-8 company to foster entrepreneurship among students. On infrastructure development, the vice chancellor informed the Executive Council that construction of 17 projects is ongoing at an estimated cost of Rs 1,912.15 crore, with Rs 329 crore already released. These projects include the WUS Health Centre and new computer centre on North Campus, the vertical expansion of the science block and the expansion of the Social Centre School Building in Maurice Nagar, he added. The university also approved the creation of a Cultural Activity Centre near Shankar Lal Hall and a new academic building at the SP Jain parking area in South Campus. Additionally, new hostels for girl students and working women are planned at the Dhaka campus, alongside extensions to existing boys' and girls' hostels in South Campus. Following complaints of structural damage in some buildings at Dhaka campus in Mukherjee Nagar, a structural audit by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has been initiated. Based on the findings, reconstruction and retrofitting work will be carried out in a phased manner to address safety issues in hostels and residential flats. The Executive Council also approved the installation of solar power plants in both North and South campuses under the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model in partnership with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). The terms of this agreement will comply with the university's operational norms. A proposal was invited to develop Dr BR Ambedkar Udyan (garden) in the Faculty of Social Sciences and rename an auditorium in his honour. Additionally, a committee was formed to explore launching a sports scholarship in the name of late Union minister and Delhi University alumnus Arun Jaitley. Presenting the Delhi University's latest achievements, Professor Singh highlighted its performance in the QS World University Rankings 2026. The university has reached 30th position globally in employment outcomes — an improvement of 14 ranks — and now stands at seventh among Indian institutions overall, with a global rank of 328.
New Indian Express
13-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Delhi University fee hike with emergency powers of VC draws flak
NEW DELHI: In the Executive Council (EC) meeting held on Saturday, members voiced objections to fee hikes across several academic programmes, criticising the use of emergency powers by the vice-chancellor to implement such decisions without adequate discussion. A supplementary agenda item revealed steep fee hike for the academic year 2025–26 across programmes like MA (Bengali/MIL/Tamil/CIL), PhD, Integrated Law, and Faculty of Education. For instance, the MA programme has seen a hike along with additional charges under the University Development Fund and EWS Support categories. The Integrated Law Programme fee has reached `60,870 for 2025–26. Dr Mithuraaj Dhusiya, an EC member, expressed concern over the unilateral implementation of these hikes using emergency powers, bypassing consultation with the Council. 'Students and faculty remain unaware of the rationale behind these increases,' he said, adding that there was no adequate discussion of the impact, particularly with the growing number of self-financing courses. He warned such fee increases threaten the public-funded nature of the university. The Executive Council members raised concerns about the use of emergency powers by the V-C. In his dissent, Dr Dhusiya pointed out that crucial policy matters, particularly those concerning recruitment and the scheme of examination for non-teaching staff, had been decided without prior discussions, bypassing the Executive Council's involvement. The agenda item in question focused on decisions taken by the V-C on recruitment rules and the exam scheme for non-teaching staff, which were notified in May 2025. Dr Dhusiya argued that these changes, which impacted over 5,000 employees, should have been discussed and approved by the Council.
New Indian Express
13-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Teachers' past services to be considered for benefits
NEW DELHI: The decision to take a stand on the counting of past services for university teachers was finally taken up by the Vice Chancellor in an Executive Council meeting held on Saturday. The Vice Chancellor approved a proposal to send a representation from DU to the University Grants Commission (UGC), the first demand of which was that all past services of temporary and ad-hoc teachers be considered for promotion and retirement benefits. Dr Mithuraaj Dhusiya, an EC member, made an appeal to the EC to constitute a standing committee which can draft a report for the consideration of the UGC. In his letter, he demanded that the past service of teachers be considered for promotions and retirement benefits, as only those teachers with 25 years of service will be eligible for full pension under the new Unified Pension Scheme . Dr. Dhusia's letter also called for the UGC to treat post-doctoral research experience equally, whether it was done in an Indian or a foreign institution as it is unfair to those ducators who have conducted research abroad or in fields not supported by Indian institutions. 'This marks the beginning of a new chapter. It is the first of many efforts to reshape the academic landscape, or rather, a spark that could ignite change across the nation,' added Dhusiya. Rudrashish Chakraborty, Associate Professor, Kirori Mal College said, 'the counting of the entire past service of teachers has been a long-standing demand of the teachers' movement. UGC Regulations 2018 allows the counting of past services only for the first promotion and not giving recognition to the entire duration of past service is a violation of labour rights as the University has taken full service from these teachers for years, without giving them any benefits.' The teachers have been demanding the counting of the entire past service since the notification of UGC Regulation 2018, but neither the UGC nor the MoE had responded to this.
Hindustan Times
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
DU executive council clears syllabus changes, expansion plans
The executive council (EC) of Delhi University (DU) on Saturday approved several syllabus changes across departments, including the exclusion of papers related to Pakistan, Islam, and China from the postgraduate political science curriculum. These changes, earlier recommended by the standing committee for academic affairs and approved by the academic council (AC) on June 5 amid dissent, will now be implemented. The EC also approved fee hikes and new recruitment guidelines for non-teaching staff, both of which faced dissent. (HT Archive) Mithuraaj Dhusiya, an elected EC member, criticised the process: 'Courses are being altered beyond recognition before they can even reach the AC, effectively bypassing democratic processes and undermining the integrity of the curriculum.' To be sure, the standing committee does not have the final say in syllabus changes, and the decision or recommendations taken by the committee have to be further approved by the AC first and then the EC. Meanwhile, DU vice chancellor Yogesh Singh stated during the meeting that 'DU is fully ready for the fourth year of UG,' referring to the implementation of the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) 2022 from the 2025–26 session. 'All kinds of modern facilities are being provided in the university for the convenience of the students,' Singh added. VC Singh cited ₹65.71 crore spent on Wi-Fi expansion and 24x7 access to over two lakh online books and journals. 'About 60% of students are likely to upgrade to the fourth year,' a DU official said. To address faculty shortages, Singh said regular teachers may take additional classes while guest faculty would handle junior-year students. Proper payments for all staff were assured. Singh also announced infrastructure upgrades, including 17 ongoing projects worth ₹1,912.15 crore, with ₹329 crore released so far. These include a Cultural Activity Centre, a girls' and working women's hostel at Dhaka campus, and new academic buildings in North and South campuses. The EC also approved fee hikes and new recruitment guidelines for non-teaching staff, both of which faced dissent.
