DU Reviews 5% Online Coursework Proposal Amid Faculty Concerns

Delhi University’s top academic body on Saturday decided to form a committee to further assess a proposal that would permit students to complete up to 5% of their syllabus online, despite significant resistance from faculty members.

During a meeting chaired by Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh, the academic council deliberated on the plan, which suggests that undergraduate students could earn up to 8 out of 176 credits and postgraduate students up to 4 out of 88 credits through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has encouraged universities to allow students to complete up to 40% of their semester courses through MOOCs available on the government’s Swayam platform (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds).

Courses on Swayam include recorded lectures prepared by faculty members from various institutions. Students can access these lectures, clear their doubts, and take online exams to earn credits.

At the meeting on Saturday, academic council member Maya John argued that permitting online credits would compromise the academic rigor and integrity of both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. She submitted a dissent note emphasizing that this move undermines the value of in-person teaching and mentorship, which are central to traditional degree programs.

Members of the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) also strongly objected to the proposal during their meeting with the vice-chancellor. According to DUTA vice-president Sudhanshu Kumar, DU’s strength has always been its lively classroom discussions and close student-teacher interactions, which this shift could undermine.

Kumar further warned that the plan could lead to a decline in direct teaching engagement and potentially reduce faculty positions, threatening the institution’s academic legacy.

Other groups, such as the Indian National Teachers’ Congress and Academics for Action and Development, also expressed disapproval.

New Course Introduced

In the same meeting, the academic council approved a new General Elective course titled “Sikh Martyrdom in Indian History,” which will be offered at the undergraduate level from the current academic session.

Developed by the Centre for Independence and Partisan Studies, the course aims to explore the Sikh community’s historical experiences, including notable examples of martyrdom, religious persecution, and resistance against state oppression.

However, Maya John submitted a dissenting opinion on this course as well, arguing that it risked oversimplifying Mughal-Sikh relations by portraying them solely through the lens of religious persecution and intolerance.