Not only protests, DU's four-year programme has supporters too

For the past few days Delhi University was witnessing a range of protest against its four-year undergraduate programme but on Wednesday, some students came out in its support.

Students from different colleges and courses raised their voices in support of the programme.

"Around 40 years back, there was two-year honours programme. Then with the passage of time that got upgraded to three years and now it has become four years, it is important to move forward with time. The programme is practical based and very helpful," Ansh Goyal, a B.Tech computer science student at Maharaja Agrasen College, told IANS.

Echoing similar feelings, Sarita Baghel, a political science student at Bharti College told IANS: "It is at par with the global standards so why should we not study. Importantly, studying the foundation courses makes easy for one to appear for government entrance examinations."

When asked about the protest against the programme from different students group, Goyal said: "They are the ones who have never studied the programme so how will they know what is good and what is bad."

While this set of students raised their voice for FYUP, the other groups continued to intensify their protest against it.

The National Student's Union of India (NSUI) protested outside Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani's residence Wednesday.

"We were forcibly evacuated Tuesday night from the place where our student leaders were sitting on a hunger strike. So we reached minister's house and asked her to scrap the programme before it is too late," Amrish Ranjan Pandey, NSUI national spokesperson, told IANS.

While the Delhi University Student's Union (DUSU), which has members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), student wing of the RSS met Irani.

"DUSU president, vice president and joint secretary met with HRD minister Smriti Irani Tuesday night and submitted her a memorandum asking her to scrap FYUP," said Saket Bahugana, ABVP Delhi state secretary.

While several members of different teachers association under the 'Save DU' campaign continued their agitation and protested outside the Vishwavidalaya metro station in north Delhi.

"The government cannot accept DU's autonomy in absolute terms. DU has no right to undermine the 10+2+3 system which gives degree across various central and state universities," Abha Dev of 'Save DU' campaign said in a statement.

With last date for admission process nearing, there is a sense of anxiety among parents and students applying for it.