Bringing about a change in policy in a significant manner, Delhi University (DU) has now made official the fact that students doing its BA (Programme), BSc (Programme), and BCom (Programme) programmes will not receive the "Honours with Research" degree, although they do dissertations or academic projects as part of their fourth year. The decision makes a stringent dichotomy between Programme course students and Honours students in the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) format.
Variation in Degrees: Programme and Honours
As per the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) 2022, DU students who have chosen the FYUP pattern receive:
- A certificate on completing the first year
- A diploma on completing the second year
- A bachelor's degree on completing the third year
A bachelor's degree with Honours or Honours with Research on completing the fourth year, provided they have a research component.
However, as per the approved policy, Programme course students will not be eligible for the 'Honours with Research' degree, even though they study research-intensive fourth-year options such as dissertations, academic projects, or entrepreneurship modules.
Fourth Year Structure Altered for Programme Students
To meet the huge student population, particularly of School of Open Learning (SOL) and Non-Collegiate Women's Education Board (NCWEB), DU has proposed an alternative fourth-year plan for Programme students. The students will instead take the following:
Additional Discipline-Specific Electives (DSEs)
A 2-credit skill development course or workshop in every last two semesters. This option enables students to take 22 credits every semester in the last year, consisting of core courses, electives, general studies, and training in areas like laboratory experiments or workshops.
The Official Decision: Academic Council Approval
The proposal was brought and approved at a recent meeting of the DU Academic Council. The formal report referred to the logistical limitations involved in implementing research or entrepreneurial streams for the large number of Programme students. It stated:
“There was a requirement to introduce some flexibility. the three tracks (dissertation, academic projects, entrepreneurship) operationalisation might be difficult in terms of the quantum of students who might possibly move to fourth year.”
The purpose of this structural reorganization is to enable working in large and scattered cohorts.
No Honours with Research – In spite of Dissertation
What rings particular alarm bells is DU's clear-cut declaration that even if students of Programme courses undertake a dissertation or academic project, they are not going to be awarded an 'Honours with Research' degree.
The academic council document stated:
"BA (P), BSc (P), and BCom (P) students will receive a plain degree in the third year and an Honours degree in the fourth year. They will not be receiving the 'Honours with Research' degree in the fourth year even if they are undertaking a Dissertation or Academic Projects."
Parallel Structure for Honours Students Remains the Same
This fourth-year structural flexibility is reserved for Programme students only. The traditional Honours pathway remains unchanged. Honours students will still be eligible for:
- Writing a dissertation
- Scholarship projects
- Modules in entrepreneurship
Those who successfully complete a research element at the end of their final year will still be eligible for the "Honours with Research" degree.
Criticism and Concerns: A Question of Equality
The action has been countered by the students and the teachers, the rationale being that the policy favours an unequal scholarly hierarchy. The majority of the Programme's students, particularly the SOL and NCWEB students, are working-class, non-traditional or marginalised students.
Despite putting in the same amount of time and effort, it is argued by its critics that such students are being denied equal respect in academia and opportunities for promotion.
DU has been asked to reconsider this policy, and suggestions have been made to create a research stream for Programme students along with adequate mentorship and facilities.
