Date : 13.12.2022 –
Sourav Ghosh, the General Secretary of AIDSO has issued the following Press Statement on UGC declaration to implement Four Year UG Programme, FYUP from 2023-24 instead of Three Year UG.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has circulated one public notification on 12th December for the implementation of Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programmes which is a part of the recommendation of NEP-2020. AIDSO, All India Committee severely condemns the move of the UGC which is very much anti-education and anti-student step.
The framework reflects the NEP’s recommendations such as restructured degree programmes to introduce Four Year UG instead of Three Year UG, multiple entry and exit, flexible degree options with single major, double major, multi/inter-disciplinary choices and a curriculum built with employability skills in addition to academic subjects. The students completing one year will be awarded with UG certificate, two years with UG Diploma, three years with UG degree and completing 4 years will be awarded with UG degree with Honors and also by completing 4 years the students will be awarded with UG honors degree with research. That means, the government says that the students will get a free chance to choose the subjects as per their choice, and will get freedom to enter and exit from any Institution. Which is very much unscientific, unrealistic and uncomprehensive approach. Firstly, the government without consulting with educationists, teaching faculties, and student bodies, unilaterally in a fascist way, have taken the decision. In the same way using some sycophant, they are now bringing about these changes in HEIs, which is very much detrimental to democratic education. Secondly, the multidisciplinary approach prescribed by the policy makers will bring doom for any comprehensive knowledge. The students will only become ‘jack of all trades, master of none’. Thirdly, by extending another one year UG programme and giving a chance to get 1 year certificate, 2 year diploma, 3 year degree, 4 year honors degree, what benefit will the students get out of it? Infact, its not only an extension of a year but also the cost of higher education. In the present situation, the students are already in the yoke of high rising costs of higher education and this FYUP will impose a heavier burden on the students. Fourthly, the students who would opt to exit in between 4 years by taking a mere certificate will be deprived of any employment as 4 year degree holder students will be there in the field. As a result, more discrimination will be created among the higher educated unemployed students. FYUP in one hand will impose financial burden on the students and on another hand will spoil the future of the students.
Here is to mention that the central government forcibly in 2013 had introduced this FYUP in Delhi University. After the vehement protest by the students and teaching community, the authority finally forced to bent down before the movement and withdraw the programme. Now, once again the government is cunningly trying to implement the same disastrous programme to put the students community in the dark. In MP also, after the implementation of FYUP, the universities are taking high fees for the each vocational subjects, there have been large discrepancies in the results, even, the students getting less than 7.5 CGPA/AGPA were not allowed to enter into the fourth year.
Hence, AIDSO demands from the central government and the UGC to stop the implementation of Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programmes i.e FYUP. AIDSO also calls upon the students, teachers and parents to raise their voices and organise to resist this anti-education policy of FYUP.
