DU teachers suggest open debate to resolve semester row
By IANSFriday, June 4, 2010
NEW DELHI - Delhi University (DU) may see an open discussion between teachers, students and parents to clear the air about implementing the semester system, a statement by the varsity teachers said Friday.
Science teachers of the university held a general body meeting Friday, which decided that they will ask the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) for an open house discussion with parents and teachers on the semester issue.
“The DUTA should have an open house discussion with students and parents to answer their querries about our academic opposition to the semester system and the semester based syllabi,” a statement said.
Much drama has unfolded in DU over the implementation of the semester system. Amid strident protest from various departments over the proposed syllabi, Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental recently announced that 12 under-graduate science courses will follow the semester system from the next academic session begining July.
Other courses will follow suit over a period of time.
A DUTA delegation Thursday met President Pratibha Patil, urging her to intervene into the matter in her capacity as Visitor of the university and institute an inquiry against the vice chancellor for alleged violation of the DU Act.
“We will resist the moves of the vice chancellor to destroy ’science’ through ill-conceived and structurally flawed semester based irregular courses. Instead, we will make time-table and teach in accordance with the syllabi under the annual scheme,” the statement said.
“The annual scheme syllabi have the sanction of the University Act, statutes and ordinances; the semester based courses lack the statutory mandate,” it added.
