DUTA flags four-year undergraduate programme under NEP, petitions President

NEW DELHI: Calling the implementation of the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) under NEP 2020 a "recipe to failure," the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) on Monday submitted a petition to the President of India, raising serious concerns over academic, infrastructural and policy gaps. Nearly 2,000 faculty members have endorsed the petition.

Addressing a press conference, DUTA president Prof A K Bhagi said, "Our biggest problem at present is that the fourth year under NEP (National Education Policy) 2020 is not feasible. We need manpower and funding for infrastructure expansion to accommodate the increased student intake, but we lack both."

DUTA has urged the withdrawal of the Draft UGC (University Grants Commission) Regulations, 2025, in the absence of the Pay Review Committee (PRC) report, and demanded urgent redressal of long-standing service-related concerns. The petition was submitted through the Ministry of Education to the president, who is also the visitor of the university.

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'FYUP', recipe to fail

Prof Bhagi warned that without adequate faculty, infrastructure and classroom space, the implementation of FYUP would endanger students' futures. "It's a recipe to fail. Financial help at the cost of academic independence will not be tolerated," he said, demanding special assistance to colleges to upgrade facilities urgently.

DUTA secretary Dr Anil Kumar reiterated that the draft UGC regulations must not be implemented in their current form and must be integrated with the forthcoming 8th Pay Commission after extensive consultations with academic stakeholders. The association raised several issues such as overcrowded classrooms and labs, delays in the academic calendar, overburdened faculty and the unaligned nature of online courses like SWAYAM and MOOCs with DU's curriculum.

DUTA also opposed the use of such platforms to earn academic credits, warning that it would dilute academic standards and undermine student-teacher engagement. DUTA treasurer Dr Akanksha Khurana said ill-planned policy implementation without infrastructure or feedback mechanisms could destabilise public universities and compromise NEP 2020's stated goals.
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DUTA demands to restore MPhil, PhD increments

The association also renewed demands for restoring MPhil and PhD increments, fair recognition of past ad-hoc service for promotions, removal of arbitrary caps on senior professor posts and a two-month timeline for processing promotions. DUTA vice president Dr Sudhanshu Kumar called for parity in service conditions across academic roles and immediate filling of vacancies through special recruitment drives, especially those pending due to the "Not Found Suitable" clause.

Prof Aditya Narayan Misra said, "We're not against a four-year structure, but without required resources, it's bound to collapse. You've halved teaching hours, doubled student numbers and cut down practical sessions -- how does this enhance quality?" He added that teachers would be forced to take the path of demonstrations if their demands went unheard. According to the university's schedule, the fourth year of FYUP is set to roll out from August 1.

Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh had earlier said the new structure would be a "game changer" focused on research, entrepreneurship and skill development but DUTA maintains that the current infrastructure and faculty strength are inadequate. DUTA concluded by urging the president and the Union education ministry to ensure all reforms are guided by academic freedom, teacher welfare and meaningful stakeholder engagement instead of top-down directives.