Delhi University will now be a Category-1 university after its Academic Council accorded approval to the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) letter in this regard in a meeting held on Friday.
The move comes after DU’s proposal for the recognition was examined by the UGC in its meeting held on July 25. “The Commission has approved Category-1 university status to University of Delhi…,” as per a letter sent by the UGC to DU Vice- Chancellor Yogesh Singh on August 8.
According to the Dimensions of Autonomy for Category-1, the university may start a new course or department or centre in disciplines that form a part of its existing academic framework without approval of the UGC, “provided no demand for fund is made from the government on account of starting new course/programme/department/school/centre.”
Other clauses under this dimension stated that the university may open constituent units/off-campus centres within its geographical jurisdiction, without the approval of the UGC, provided it is able to arrange “both recurring and non-recurring revenue sources and does not need any assistance for the same from the UGC or the Government.”
According to the letter, Category-1 “universities shall be free to admit foreign students on merit, subject to a maximum of twenty per cent, over and above the strength of their approved domestic students.” The university would be free to fix fees from foreign students without any restriction, according to the clauses stated in the letter.
Meanwhile, several teachers associated with the AADTA (Academics for Action and Development, Delhi Teacher’s Association), who were part of the meeting, opposed the move to allow the university graded autonomy in the form of Category 1, stating that it would make higher education inaccessible to many sections.
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According to a statement issued by AADTA: “The UGC…imposing graded autonomy will make higher education costly and thus make accessibility to higher education difficult for SCs, STs, OBCs, EWS, women. Funds will be generated through increasing students’ fee which will makes education next to impossible, especially for women and marginalised section of the society. This…will destroy social justice in the higher education.”
New campus in east Delhi
Among other things approved at the meeting was the university’s East Delhi campus, which will come up in Surajmal Vihar, and a new college that will be set up in Najafgarh, V-C Singh said.
Syllabus of several semesters in faculties such as Science and Maths based on Undergraduate Curriculum Framework-2022 was also approved.
Shayri.page