UGC Invites DU Principals for Orientation Programme on Autonomy, DU Teachers Protest
- UGC's orientation programme on autonomous colleges has been greeted with criticism from DU Principals and teachers.
- DU teachers believe that the move will commercialise education and colleges will be free to increase tuition fees.
An invitation from the University Grants Commission to educational institutes across the country regarding orientation programme on the scheme of autonomous colleges has received criticism from the officials of the University of Delhi. The officials of Delhi University called the move a mere attempt of commercialisation and privatisation.
In his letter to all the colleges, Secretary of UGC, Mr. Thakur stated that the commission had been implementing the scheme of autonomous colleges with a motive to achieve qualitative improvement and academic excellence. The orientation programme began on November 16, 2017, and it will help them to have an understanding of the interest of colleges regarding the scheme.
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The autonomous scheme offers operative and academic freedom to the colleges. It will also enable the colleges to structure and design its own syllabi and courses of study to suit the regional or local needs. The scheme will help the colleges to devise innovative methods of examination, teaching and evaluation. According to the scheme, any number of colleges that fulfil a set of criteria can apply for autonomy from UGC.
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A member associated with DU’s Executive Council pointed that the move to grant autonomy would give freedom to colleges to make changes in the fee structure. Through this move, the colleges will deprive the students coming from the weaker sections of the society of affordable education.
On the other hand, college principals across the University of Delhi have also slammed the move of UGC. They were of the opinion that the UGC must consider the after-effects before implementing the scheme.