The Delhi University has called an emergency meeting of its Academic Council on Tuesday to take forward Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s suggestion last year that all central universities in the country should have a semester-based examination system.The Academic Council, or the university’s supreme executive body, will thrash out on Tuesday the feasibility of the semester system. Members will also discuss the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) recommendations in May 2006 on reservation in faculty. Another important topic on the agenda is the integrated, four-year dual degree course that will give students a chance to earn two bachelors degrees.While the semester system is already practised in the university’s postgraduate courses, it will be implemented for undergraduates by 2010. Semesters are already the norm in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), BITS (Pilani) and the IITs, wherein students study new courses every semester. In DU, courses in management, law and chemistry are already in the semester mode.On the dual degree issue, university Vice-Chancellor Deepak Pental said: “This integrated course will allow students to master two subjects, gaining practical experience in the bargain.” Many academics support this concept, but some believe that proper planning is required to implement it. A member of the Academic Council, Dr Jaspali Chauhan said: “These courses should be employment-oriented for students to benefit.”However, senior members of the Arts faculty is peeved this meeting has been called in the middle of the Puja break. “These are important decisions and need wider consultation, certainly better infrastructure. It is best not to hurry us,” he said. However, Council member Pradeep Kumar said this meeting has come at an opportune moment since the Council elections are also due in December. He added the Council is also under pressure to settle the issue of reservation in faculty. The UGC had asked the university to look into the inclusion of teachers from scheduled castes and tribes in its rolls. Teachers feel the reservation should take place department-wise, though the UGC wants colleges to take it up, one by one. The meeting will discuss the merits of both.All About CouncilAcademic Council, DU’s executive body, has 120 members. This body takes all academic decisions: implementation of ministry recommendations, restructuring or formulating new courses among others. The Vice-Chancellor of the university is the chairperson of the Council. The Council is supposed to meet every month, but that frequency is now down to once in three or four months.
