By TCN News,
New Delhi: A number of students and teachers of the University of Delhi staged a protest demonstration in front of Ministry of Human Resources Development at Shastri Bhawan today.
A meeting of the Standing Committee of National Monitoring Committee for Education of SCs, STs and Persons with Disabilities was in session at that time. The teachers and students demanded that the Standing Committee should place the question of Four Year Undergraduate Programme of Delhi University on the agenda of National Monitoring Committee as it adversely affects the students coming from the Scheduled Castes and Tribes, and Persons with Disabilities.
The protestors from Campus Front of India, Save DU, DSU, AISA, SUI and others raised the slogans against MHRD and UGC for not stopping the FYUP even after eminent academicians of the country presented them with the major flaws the FYUP to be launched by DU in July 2013.
The demonstration continued till the representatives of various teachers and students organisations were given an opportunity to present before the Standing Committee about how FYUP adversely affects the SC, ST and Disabled students.
A delegation of three teachers were invited to the Standing Committee meeting at around 12.30 pm and given time to make a brief presentation. Professor Thorat was in chair. The Committee listened carefully to the presentations of major issues with FYUP.
The delegates presented the plight of SC, ST and OBC students and teachers at Delhi University. They also presented how FYUP flushes out students coming from all marginalised communities. The representatives urged the Committee to place the FYUP as part of the National Monitoring Committee for Education of SCs, STs and Persons with Disabilities. They also requested the members of the Standing Committee to deliberate on FYUP and stop its implementation at least for a year to study its ramifications by expert academicians. They also explained the Committee how the lack of preparation of study material of the new course in accessible formats for the visually challenged teachers and students hampers their teaching-learning process.
The delegation presented how the Vice-chancellor claimed the meetings and academic congress he conducted as part of the consultations on FYUP, whereas in reality there were no such consultations in all those meetings on the new Course. Similarly, the outcome of the discussions of those meetings was not even placed in the AC and EC meetings at any point of time. As a result the teachers have never been in a position to discuss the implications FYUP for the SC, ST, OBC, Minority students and persons with disabilities within the University forums.
Professor Thorat accepted a representation from the delegation and advised them to seek permission from HRD Minister to represent themselves at tomorrow’s meeting of National Monitoring Committee for Education of SCs, STs and Persons with Disabilities at Vignan Bhwan. The Delegation has immediately approached the Office of the HRD Minister and submitted a written request for permission to represent themselves and place their views on FYUP in the meeting.