Over 400 DU teachers write to VC, urge to restore English department's workload
Categories: US Education News
More than 400 English teachers from the University of Delhi have written to the varsity’s vice chancellor, Yogesh Singh, urging him to restore the workload of their department. The teachers are convinced that the implementation of the undergraduate curriculum framework from the upcoming 2022-2023 academic session will cause the department’s workload to be ‘massively reduced’, leading to livelihood loss. It was also noted by the teachers that UGCF’s tentative framework singles out the English Department for massive reduction ranging approximately from 30 percent to 40 percent of the already existing workload. The letter added that the UGCF structure states that the Ability Enhancement Courses (AEC) are offered only in the languages included in the VIII Schedule, which does not include English.The letter further read, “The removal of English as an option in AEC will drastically reduce the workload of each English department in DU, thus threatening the livelihood of all adhoc teachers working in colleges.”The letter further stated students who are from abroad, North-East region, and, Jammu and Kashmir are exempted from studying Hindi/MIL and were always given English as an option according to the Statutes of the University of Delhi. The letter added that while AEC courses imparted in Indian languages are welcome, the removal of English as an AEC course amounts to a denial of choice to students based on their competence level, according to the letter.“It is ironic that while the NEP claims to offer unlimited choice to students, the proposed UGCF structure denies the same choice to students in not allowing them the option of English as an AEC course,” read the letter further.The teachers have requested that the VC maintain English as an AEC course as well as a core language course in BA and B.Com programme courses. The letter noted further, “This will protect the existing workload of English departments, while also crucially safeguarding the livelihood of hundreds of adhoc teachers working in English departments across the university, currently battling the pressures of uncertainty that these changes portend.”It should be noted that the UGCF has already been approved by the varsity’s academic and executive councils.