Irani calls for emergency meeting to resolve UGC-DU stand-off over FYUP

Human Resource Department (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani will preside over an emergency meeting of a University Grants Commission (UGC)-appointed 10-member committee on Monday afternoon in attempt to arrive at an acceptable solution to the ongoing academic crisis related to the controversial four year undergraduate programme (FYUP).

According to reports, the meeting will take place from 3 p.m. and is likely to be attended by the vice chancellor of Delhi University, key representatives of the UGC, the presidents of the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) and the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) and representatives of college associations.

The meeting was called even as students continued their protests against the FYUP, taking their agitation to the gates of the ministry.

On Sunday, the UGC issued a fresh directive to the Delhi University to revert to the three-year course and asked for a compliance report by forenoon on Monday.

The UGC, which controls the university's purse strings, told the latter that any deviation from the directive shall be "deemed to be in contravention of the UGC Act, with its consequences".

The second directive by the UGC to scrap the FYUP was previously followed by one sent on Friday.

Reports said university vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh was expected to make a statement on the development at the executive council meeting on Monday.

The UGC intends to cover all flanks. It has sent letters to the principals of the university's 70-odd colleges, asking them to strictly follow the three-year undergraduate course.

Principals have been told that "any deviation or contravention shall be viewed seriously by UGC and may attract action under the UGC Act including withdrawal of grant to the college". UGC staff delivered the directive to each college principal by hand.

The commission has also decided to issue a public notice to be carried by newspapers on Monday. In it, students and parents will be informed that "FYUP is not in consonance with the National Policy on Education, 1986 and the 10+2+3 structure envisaged under it".

The notice says DU did not follow procedures prescribed in the DU Act while switching to FYUP and asked students to take admission only in three-year courses.

The notice, issued by the UGC chairperson, according to a report in the TOI, also says that a standing committee is being set up to advise DU on the migration back from FYUP to the three-year undergraduate programme so that students "do not lose an academic year for obtaining undergraduate degrees, and for this purpose, ensure that students acquire necessary academic and other competence during the next two years.