BTech to be 4-year course for students admitted in 2013-14: UGC tells DU

Commission also asks DU to ensure colleges which admitted students to FYUP obtain approval from regulatory bodies

UGC today asked Delhi University to continue with the four-year B.Tech programme only for the students admitted during the academic year 2013-14, putting an end to uncertainty following rollback of the controversial FYUP.

University Grants Commission (UGC) also asked DU to ensure that colleges under it, which admitted students to the four- year undergraduate programme (FYUP), obtain approval from regulatory bodies such as UGC itself and AICTE to ensure that students under FYUP are not put to any disadvantage.

Over 2,500 students are enrolled in six B.Tech programmes -- Computer Science, Electronics, Food Technology, Polymer Science, Instrumentation and Electronics and Psychological Science. They have been protesting ever since the rollback of FYUP.

UGC, in a statement, said, "4-year B.Tech Programmes in Computer Science, Electronics, Food Technology, Instrumentation Electronics and Polymer Science {where such students were admitted in the colleges under Delhi University} and which are covered under section 22 of the UGC Act, with respect to B.Tech, may continue in these programmes only for the students already admitted for academic year 2013-14."

The Commission was, however, silent on the Psychological Science course. This programme, also with the Bachelor in Management Studies (BMS) programme, about which the commission also remained silent, are likely to be converted into three- year courses, officials said.

The directive of UGC is in line with the recommendation of its Standing Committee, which has suggested that the programme should continue in the four-year format for the students already admitted so that there is no "prejudice" caused to their interest.