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Short-term courses may mark a new trend

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI JUNE 20. It could well mark the beginning of a new trend in Delhi University. One that encourages students to take up short-term courses that may not be related to their undergraduate programme but can help shape their career graph.

Only, a week before the Delhi University Committee on Introduction of Short-Term Courses is likely to table its recommendations before the Academic Council on June 25, the nature and future of these courses is already being questioned.

While the report signals towards the University providing financial and administrative support to the courses, it rules out the possibility of the University giving a degree or certificate. It also recommends appointment of a separate committee for approving and clearing the courses proposed by various colleges.

Though quite a few Delhi University colleges are already offering such short-term courses to their students, with many like St.Stephen's and Sri Venkateswara likely to join the list, a small section of the University seems to be talking already about the "negative effect'' that these courses might have on the campus.

``The recommendations put forward by the committee make it amply clear that the University will not be giving any certificate, degree or diploma. This would lead to a mad race for fund-raising at the cost of quality of regular course,'' argues Aditya Narayan Misra of the teachers' body, Academics for Action and Development.

Constituted by the Delhi University Vice-Chancellor, Deepak Nayyar, the committee was meant to examine the possibility of running short-term courses for NRIs, PIOs and foreigners in the University colleges and departments.

``While pointing out that the shorter courses should not induct more than 30 students, the report adds that at least 10 per cent seats should be open to Indians, which comes down to just three students. Why should there be special short-term courses for NRI students'' questions another DU teacher.

While the first meeting of the committee was held on July 17, 2002, various aspects of the courses were discussed over meetings held since then to consider the feasibility of colleges starting short-term courses.

The committee has also sent a set of names that will be on the proposed Delhi University Committee for Short-Term Courses (DUCSC), who the report recommends should hold the position for two years, with two members retiring at the end of every term.

But the Principal of Gargi College and member of the committee, Hema Raghavan, points out that colleges should be allowed to introduce new courses that can help students later.

Head of the first college to start a short-term course on human rights, Dr. Raghavan points out that since the idea was to help students learn more than the routine, these courses even without a degree would be useful.

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