University of DelhiThe decision to review the credit structure for the fourth year of its undergraduate curriculum framework (UGCF) has sparked opposition from sections of the teaching community. Faculty representatives allege that the changes were introduced without the approval of the university’s statutory bodies. Teachers have also raised concerns about the impact of the revised framework on academic standards, student workloads and faculty responsibilities.The objections come after the university issued a notification on Friday revising the credit distribution for the fourth year of the Four Year Undergraduate Program (FYUP). The revised structure will be implemented from the 2026-27 academic session.
What changes has Delhi University introduced?
Under the revised framework, the university has increased the thesis credits from six to 10 while reducing the number of Discipline Specific Core Papers (DSC).As per the notification, the courses listed in DSC in the seventh and eighth semesters of all UG programs under UGCF 2022 can now be shifted to the Discipline Specific Electives (DSE) pool.Students starting their fourth year will now have to opt for three courses in each of semesters seven and eight, in addition to the academic pathway. They can choose three DSEs, two DSEs and a Generic Elective (GE), or one DSE and two GEs.
Teachers question the decision-making process
The revised framework has drawn criticism from several faculty representatives, who alleged that the university introduced the changes without presenting the proposal to the Academic Council and the Executive Council, statutory bodies responsible for approving major academic decisions.According to PTI, Academic Council member Rajesh Jha Mishra said the university had ignored established procedures while implementing major academic restructuring.“By pushing for a drastic restructuring of the UGCF through a registrar’s notification and completely bypassing the Academic Council and the Executive Council, the University has completely ignored due process. This decision will place an unrealistic burden on fourth-year students,” Mishra was quoted as saying by PTI.Executive Council member Mithuraaj Dhusiya also criticized what he described as a “top-down approach” to introducing the changes.According to PTI reports, Dhusiya said that academic reforms of this importance should have been discussed by the statutory bodies of the university. He further argued that replacing a required core course with an elective could weaken the quality of education while reducing the stable academic workload available to departments and faculty members.
DTF notes concerns about workload and academic quality
The Delhi Teachers’ Front (DTF) also opposed the revised framework, questioning why the university had not called meetings of the Academic Council or the Executive Council before issuing the notification.According to PTI, DTF Secretary Abha Dev Habib said that reducing the only compulsory discipline-specific core paper in the fourth year could weaken the academic foundations of students. He also argued that increasing thesis credits from six to 10 would place additional pressure on students without ensuring adequate academic support.Habib further stated that professors are already required to supervise up to 10 thesis students along with their regular teaching responsibilities. He warned that the revised framework could significantly increase the workload of teachers while increasing stress on students.
The university has not yet responded
Delhi University is yet to issue a public response to the objections raised by teachers’ organizations and elected faculty representatives. The revised fourth-year credit structure is scheduled to come into effect from the 2026-27 academic session.(With PTI tickets)