Delhi: Students, teachers welcome UGC order to roll back four-year undergraduate programme

Several students and teachers' bodies on Sunday hailed the UGC's order to Delhi University to roll back the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP), saying it was a defeat of the Vice-Chancellor's "autocracy" and victory of their "popular movement".

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) welcomed the UGC order asking DU-affiliated colleges to admit students only in the three years' programme. They said it was a victory of their movement against FYUP.

"We have been protesting against FYUP not just in colleges and university campuses, but also pursued it in the legal way by means of delegations to the HRD ministry and UGC.

We heartily congratulate the student community of Delhi University for unitedly fighting against the anti-student, anti-poor and anti-education FYUP," an ABVP statement said.

DUSU president Aman Awana said they would take out a victory rally on Monday and would also meet HRD Minister Smriti Irani to thank her.

Vijaya Venkataraman, an executive committee member of Delhi University Teachers' Association, welcomed the UGC move. She described the order as a victory for students and teachers.

"The DU has been flouting all norms by conducting the programme and the Vice-Chancellor has remained adamant. Therefore, UGC's decision is welcome," she said.
Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union, which too had joined the agitation, said it was the popular protest carried out by students and teachers that has forced the UGC and the government to take such a stand.

Other student organisations such as NSUI, AIDSO, AISA, AISF, CYSS, DSU, INSO, KYS, NEFIS, PACHHAS, SFI and SYS too had been demanding immediate roll back of the FYUP and the VC's resignation.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) today asked Delhi University and its colleges to admit students only under the three-year undergraduate programme from the new academic session and not under FYUP.

The FYUP, introduced last year, has drawn flak from both students and teachers but the Delhi University has held that it will not be scrapped.