Delhi University‘s decision to revise the credit structure for the fourth year of its Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) has sparked opposition from sections of the teaching community. The faculty representatives are alleging that the changes were introduced without the approval of the university’s statutory bodies. Teachers have also raised concerns over the impact of the revised framework on academic standards, student workload 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 Programme (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 dissertation credits from six to 10 while reducing the number of Discipline Specific Core (DSC) papers.According to the notification, courses listed under DSC in semesters seven and eight across all UG programmes under UGCF 2022 may now be shifted to the Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) pool.Students entering the fourth year will now be required to opt for three courses in each of semesters seven and eight, in addition to their academic track. They can choose either three DSEs, two DSEs and one Generic Elective (GE), or one DSE and two GEs.
Teachers question decision-making process
The revised framework has drawn criticism from several teacher representatives, who alleged that the university introduced the changes without placing the proposal before the Academic Council and the Executive Council, the 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 a significant academic restructuring.“By pushing through a drastic restructuring of the UGCF via a Registrar’s notification and bypassing the Academic Council and Executive Council entirely, the University has completely disregarded the proper process. This decision will unrealistically burden fourth-year students,” Mishra said, as quoted by PTI.Executive Council member Mithuraaj Dhusiya also criticised what he described as a “top-down approach” in introducing the changes.As reported by PTI, Dhusiya said academic reforms of such significance should have been discussed by the university’s statutory bodies. He further argued that replacing a compulsory core paper with an elective could weaken the quality of education while reducing the stable academic workload available to departments and faculty members.
DTF flags concerns over workload and academic quality
The Delhi Teachers’ Front (DTF) also opposed the revised framework, questioning why the university had not convened meetings of the Academic Council or Executive Council before issuing the notification.According to PTI, DTF secretary Abha Dev Habib said reducing the only compulsory discipline-specific core paper in the fourth year could weaken students’ academic foundations. She also argued that increasing dissertation credits from six to 10 would place additional pressure on students without ensuring adequate academic support.Habib further claimed that teachers are already required to supervise up to 10 dissertation students alongside their regular teaching responsibilities. She warned that the revised framework could significantly increase the workload of faculty members while adding to student stress.
University yet to respond
Delhi University has not yet issued a public response to the objections raised by teachers’ organisations and elected faculty representatives. The revised fourth-year credit structure is scheduled to come into effect from the 2026-27 academic session.(With inputs from PTI)
