Delhi University academic panel clears syllabus redo amid dissent

Hindustan Times

11-05-2025

Delhi University's (DU) Academic Council (AC) on Saturday approved changes to the syllabi of several departments based on recommendations made by its standing committee on academic affairs, despite dissent from multiple elected council members. The changes were passed during a meeting of the AC, the university's top academic body.
Several elected members submitted dissent notes during the zero hour, raising objections over the bypassing of statutory procedures.
'If the standing committee makes suggestions, those must go back to the Committee of Courses (CoC) of the concerned department. CoCs consist of subject experts who have the mandate to frame or revise syllabi. But in this case, the process was short-circuited despite protests from heads of departments and AC members,' said one academic council member, who was among the signatories of a dissent note.
At least eight such elected AC members submitted dissent notes, according to one of the dissenting members of the AC. The council has a maximum strength of 166 members, of which 26 are elected.
Under DU's academic norms, departments are responsible for framing their syllabi, which are first vetted and approved by the departmental CoC. The CoC's proposals then go to the standing committee, which may offer recommendations. These recommendations are not binding and are meant to be sent back to the CoC for final approval or rejection. Once cleared by the CoC, the syllabus is submitted to the AC for final approval.
'The standing committee can check whether the syllabus aligns with the overall structure and credit requirements, but it cannot interfere with academic content,' read one dissent note. 'Changes in content are the sole prerogative of departments and their CoCs.'
Despite this, sweeping changes were made following three meetings of the standing committee on May 2, 6, and 8. These involved syllabi from departments such as Psychology, Sociology, History, and Political Science. In Psychology, for instance, topics including sexual orientation, dating apps, caste and religious identity, Kashmir, and the Israel-Palestine conflict were reportedly recommended for removal. The committee also proposed the inclusion of the Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita in the syllabus to understand the 'psychology of peace.'
Elected members criticised these revisions as arbitrary and unacademic. 'The conduct of these meetings undermined the autonomy of the departments,' another dissent note stated. 'None of the university officials involved had disciplinary expertise in Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy, or History. Yet they instructed heads of departments to alter syllabi in ways that are disconnected from academic objectives.'
DU, in its post-meeting statement, said, 'Considering the recommendations made in the meetings of the standing committee of the Academic Council on academic affairs, the syllabi of various faculties based on the UGCF (Undergraduate Curriculum Framework) 2022 were also accepted after discussion.'
Another dissent note, submitted during the zero hour, raised concerns about the UGCF itself and its implementation. 'There are structural issues with the framework, including reduced credit hours for core papers and an increased number of papers per semester, which overloads students while compromising academic depth,' said an AC member.
Concerns over the growing use of guest faculty also featured in the meeting. 'We must prioritise permanent appointments. The reliance on ad hoc and guest teachers affects the quality of education and job security,' a member said.
Mental health emerged as another point of discussion. Latika Gupta, an elected AC member and professor at DU's Department of Education, said, 'I raised the challenge of rising mental health issues among students. The Vice Chancellor acknowledged the concern, and a demand was made to create an institutional mechanism where teachers can report cases and ensure timely support.'
The meeting also included a statement of solidarity from the university on the ongoing geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan. 'The University of Delhi stands firmly with the Government of India in this hour of crisis. This is a difficult time for our soldiers as well as citizens,' DU Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh said.
Despite criticism from within the council, the approved changes are now set to be implemented under the UGCF 2022. However, the controversy has underscored long-standing concerns about the erosion of academic autonomy and the centralisation of syllabus-making in one of India's most prestigious public universities.