Members
Committee to Review the B.A. Pass Curriculum and Evaluation Pattern
University of Delhi
Delhi-110007.
Ref: Proposed Foundation Courses and Application Modules for the B.A
Pass curriculum
Dear Sir/ Madam,
In the zonal meetings between the Committee and college teachers to
discuss the proposed changes in the B.A. Pass curriculum, conducted
under the chairmanship of Prof. Manoranjan Mohanty, not only has the
participation been good but the debate has been extremely democratic
and vigorous too. I sincerely compliment the entire Committee for
its efforts in this direction.
Yet, the consensus generated uptil now seems confined more to
proposed examination reforms and on the need for foundation courses
and application modules. The real nature, types and modalities of
the modular and foundation courses has not even been broached in
their outlines in the foregoing discussion. While the details of
topics to be included or excluded in the courses was rightly left to
the work of specialized sub-committees, at least the broad purpose
and nature of some of these courses should, perhaps, have been
identified in our general meetings so as to take benefit of the
broadest spectrum of ideas in this regard.
Indeed, beyond examination reforms, over which consensus and
Academic Council’s initiative existed in any case, the most useful
contribution of the present committee may be in terms of well
thought out and radical innovations in the curriculum which is the
central pillar of any scheme of education. Although some ideas were
given regarding the possible foundation and modular courses, no
attempt was made to correlate or systematize suggestions in this
regard.
In this context, it would have been perhaps desirable to form
sub-committees to further think collectively on the issue in the
general meetings themselves with the cooption of some interested
members from colleges as well.
I am sure there are many like me who strongly feel that the much
delayed exercise of revising and modernizing the syllabus of the
huge B.A. Pass component of the University should be given maximum
attention and energy by all concerned (please refer to the submitted
minutes of two meetings held at Zakir Husain College on the issue in
October 2002). It is in this background that I seek your permission
to submit a couple of suggestions on realizing the full potential of
Foundation and Application Courses in the restructured syllabus.
But, before that allow me to say what the proposed Foundation Course
should perhaps be not. For example, a Foundation paper in the
History of Civilizations or in the Culture and Traditions of India
or in Human Rights or even Comparative Literature (all literature
should be taught comparatively in second and third years preferably)
would definitely rob us of the wonderful opportunity to expose the
students to the best ideas of all disciplines in a brief and lucid
from in their first year of graduation.
The plea in favour of very broad (and simple) exposition of the
central insights of various disciplines is made on four grounds: 1)
that before selecting their areas of specialization students need to
be exposed to the whole range of knowledge as far as possible
through an outline; 2) that many key areas of knowledge such as
psychology, philosophy, logic, and even anthropology and cultural
studies etc have never been offered in most schools and, what is
worse, will never reach them in future life since many in our social
and economic milieu will never have the opportunity to do serious
reading in later life; 3) that the motivational and cognitive
psychology of post adolescents (e.g. maturity of cognitive schemas
and pressures of identity crisis) also suggest maximum benefits from
exposure to a broad sweep of ideas and concepts from a wide range of
disciplines for this age group in particular; and 4) the task of
presenting broad insights in a lucid form may also be seen as a
challenge by academics and to bring the major ideas from different
disciplines together truly adventurous and honest on our part.
Some examples of key ideas and information which may be considered
for inclusion in two of the proposed foundation courses in Human
Sciences by the committee:-
uniqueness of individuals and the oneness of the human race: the
mental physiological and emotional constituents of this oneness;
Maslow’s structure of the hierarchy of human needs/ aspirations;
//the evolution of man: broad stages and variations in trajectories
of evolution; //relationship between technology and material life:
types of economies over broad time spans and the division of the
world into the developed and developing world today, some indices of
variations in living standards, health, population, environmental
issues etc.; //primary social groups: major variations over time and
space; meaning and types of social structures; gender: origins of
patriarchy, variations over space and time; women’s struggle for
equality today (some fieldwork in neighbourhoods); //other forms of
inequality, recent changes in class relations with reference to any
two countries; //culture and its various conceptions: universals
amongst cultures, ideologies and subcultures; implications of
modernity and globalization; //power as a feature in human
relations, varieties of power; origins and types of states,
//struggles for democratic and socialist groups in modern times,
problems in realizing the promise of democracy and pluralism today
(some case studies); global military expenditure and efforts for a
world without war; //the essentials of the scientific approach
(examples from labs and from everyday life); limitations and
critiques of science.
These broad categories and concerns need to be further debated,
pruned or amplified surely by a larger collective. My aim in listing
them, in this hurried response, is merely to suggest one possible
level at which the main foundation papers for our undergraduates may
be pitched.
At the same time, I would like to add that at least one more
foundation paper shall be considered in the first year itself
concerning the “world of work” aiming at both introducing the
student to the dignity of labour and having an attitude for
generating self employment if necessary in his/ her life and also to
a conceptual introduction to the range of literature and ideas on
socially committed living through project works among cooperatives,
NGOs etc. Indeed the huge numbers in our pass course may be usefully
oriented towards the cooperative sector for employment and for
strengthening this promising fourth type of economy in our country.
(Institutions like IRMA and IGNOU are already offering some courses
through distance learning in this direction.)
A fourth and very useful foundation would of course be in the two
areas of aesthetics and linguistic skills focusing on varieties of
artistic expressions and notions of ‘good’ taste, linguistics and
communication skills and also on accessing knowledge through a
systematic introduction to the library, IT and internet etc in the
first year of graduation.
Regarding the proposed modules on gender, human rights, media
appreciation/ critique, environment etc. I would like to mention one
fear and one possible remedy. Since this would most likely be an
additional burden on teachers and due to the deep seated assumptions
regarding pedagogy and knowledge in our system this is most likely
to be sabotaged over time like the much maligned SUPW introduced in
secondary education earlier.
To prevent this: only one module per year per student may be made
compulsory, (there need not be an upper limit); but its marks or
grading shall be at par with the main papers and included in final
assessment; teachers may float various types of modules according to
their interests, capacities and surroundings around their colleges
(after permission from the proposed Dept of B.A. Pass); students may
be allowed to associate with any college/ teacher (on the basis of
latter’s capacity) for such modules and may be evaluated on their
project reports from some other teacher to be identified by the
university dept.; teachers offering such guidance may be helped with
a small grant from the university in proportion to the number of
students working with them and requirements of expenses on such
activity. Similarly, those teachers who volunteer to teach the new
foundation/ main papers may also be rewarded with an additional
increment and preferences in refresher courses.
Looking forward to your consideration and response.
Yours faithfully,
(Devesh Vijay)
D 14-A/2, Model Town,
Delhi-7.
Ph: 27137519.
E mail: Devesh1961@sify.com
The Chairman
Committee to Revise the B.Com Pass Curriculum
University of Delhi
Delhi-110007.
Ref: Proposal for a Foundation Course in Human Sciences and a Paper
in Small Businesses/ Enterprises in the Revised Curriculum for
B.Com. Pass
Dear Sir,
Being a teacher of History, I shall first apologise humbly for
trying to address a concern for which I have indeed neigther
competence nor authority. Yet, since I am also a teacher for past 17
years and genuinely share the present concern regarding the updating
of syllabi, specially, for B.Com. and B.A. Pass students of this
University, I hope you will pardon my audacity in writing to you on
the issue without any locus standi in the matter.
Actually, I, along with several of my colleagues at Zakir Husain
College and several other colleges deliberated collectively in two
specific meetings in October and November this year on the
initiative of our Vice Chancellor to call for a review of the whole
structure of syllabi and evaluation procedure in the pass course
stream in the University.
Some of the changes that we finally thought worthy of consideration
for the B.A. Pass stream also seemed extremely relevant for the
B.Com. Pass component. It is in this context that I seek your
permission to put before you two specific proposals for Foundation
Courses for all pass course students in the first year of
graduation. Namely, a foundation course in Human Sciences and a
regular compulsory paper in Running a Small Business/ Enterprise.
The plea in favour of a broad (and simple) exposition of the central
insights of various disciplines through a Foundation Course in Human
Sciences for all undergraduates (the report on revision of the
Sciences curriculum has already proposed one such foundation course)
is made on four grounds: 1) that before selecting their areas of
specialization students need to be exposed to the whole range of
knowledge as far as possible through an outline; 2) that many key
areas of knowledge such as psychology, philosophy, logic, and even
anthropology and cultural studies etc have never been offered in
most schools and, what is worse, will never reach them in future
life since many in our social and economic milieu will never have
the opportunity to do serious reading in later life; 3) that the
motivational and cognitive psychology of post adolescents (e.g.
maturity of cognitive schemas and pressures of identity crisis) also
suggest maximum benefits from exposure to a broad sweep of ideas and
concepts from a wide range of disciplines for this age group in
particular; and 4) the task of presenting broad insights in a lucid
form may also be seen as a challenge by academics and to bring the
major ideas from different disciplines together truly adventurous
and honest on our part.
Some examples of key ideas and information which may be considered
for inclusion in two of the proposed foundation courses in Human
Sciences by the committee:-
//uniqueness of individuals and the oneness of the human race: the
mental physiological and emotional constituents of this oneness;
Maslow’s structure of the hierarchy of human needs/ aspirations;
//the evolution of man: broad stages and variations in trajectories
of evolution; //relationship between technology and material life:
types of economies over broad time spans and the division of the
world into the developed and developing world today, some indices of
variations in living standards, health, population, environmental
issues etc.; //primary social groups: major variations over time and
space; meaning and types of social structures; gender: origins of
patriarchy, variations over space and time; women’s struggle for
equality today (some fieldwork in neighbourhoods); //other forms of
inequality, recent changes in class relations with reference to any
two countries; //culture and its various conceptions: universals
amongst cultures, ideologies and subcultures; implications of
modernity and globalization; //power as a feature in human
relations, varieties of power; origins and types of states,
struggles for democratic and socialist groups in modern times,
problems in realizing the promise of democracy and pluralism today
(some case studies); global military expenditure and efforts for a
world without war; //the essentials of the scientific approach
(examples from labs and from everyday life); limitations and
critiques of science.
These broad categories and concerns need to be further debated,
pruned or amplified surely by a larger collective. My aim in listing
them, in this hurried response, is merely to suggest one possible
level at which the main foundation papers for our undergraduates may
be pitched.
Besides this let me also make a plea for addressing the problem of
limited job opportunities in the organized sector of the economy and
readying our graduates for self employment in the small enterprise
sector (manufacturing or the more promising service industries now)
with the help of at least one or, preferably, three papers in this
area with considerable fieldwork and evaluation on basis of project
reports specially in the third year.
Indeed, a paper in the first year itself concerning the “world of
work” aiming at both introducing the student to the dignity of
labour and having an attitude for generating self employment if
necessary in his/ her life and also to a conceptual introduction to
the range of literature and ideas on socially committed living
through project works among cooperatives, NGOs etc. may be highly
relevant today. Thus the huge number of pupils in our pass course
streams may be usefully oriented towards the cooperative sector for
employment and for strengthening this promising fourth type of
economy in our country. (Institutions like IRMA and IGNOU are
already offering some courses through distance learning in this
direction.)
Besides this, another foundation paper in the two areas of
linguistic skills and also on accessing knowledge through a
systematic introduction to the library, IT and internet etc in the
first year of graduation may also be kindly considered.
The proposal already under consideration for modifying/ reducing the
language component of the pass course streams, I hope, will enable
us to consider introduction of some of these new types of courses
without increasing the workload on teachers or students or diluting
the attention required for the main papers in Commerce and business.
It has also been suggested by us that teachers who volunteer to
teach the new types of papers (after going through a refresher
course for the same) may be granted one additional increment in
their pay through likely agreement with the U.G.C.
Looking forward to your kind consideration and apologizing again for
this trespass.
Yours faithfully,
(Devesh Vijay)
D 14-A/2, Model Town,
Delhi-7.
Ph: 27137519.
E mail: Devesh1961@sify.com
The Chairman
Committee to Review the B.A. Pass Course
University of Delhi
Delhi-7.
Ref: A hurried response to our conversation dated 5/12/02 regarding
proposed
foundation courses for B.A. Pass students.
Dear Sir,
In the zonal meetings on the B.A. Pass course structure conducted
under your chairmanship, not only has the participation been good
but the tone and structure of the debate has also been extremely
democratic and vigorous. I sincerely congratulate you in particular
for your efforts in this direction.
However, self criticism shall never be abjured. Apart from the fact
that male colleagues from colleges do not seem to have participated
in large numbers uptil now it is also possible that the consensus
evident in the meetings is actually the consensus of the like minded
and we need to brace ourselves for more criticism at subsequent
stages.
Apart from this, the consensus generated uptil now seems to be
confined more to the nature of examination reforms proposed and on
the need for foundation courses and co-curricular modules while the
nature, types and modalities of the modular and foundation courses
has not even been broached in their outlines uptil now. While the
details of topics to be included or excluded could have been left to
sub-committees for each course, at least the broad purpose and
nature of some of these courses could have been identified in our
general meetings so as to take benefit of the broadest spectrum of
ideas in this regard.
Thirdly, it would have been highly appreciated if the formation of
sub-committees had been done openly in the general meetings
themselves from amongst the vast number showing interest and
commitment to the task at hand.
Although some ideas were mentioned regarding the possible foundation
and modular courses, many of these were unstructured and at times
contradictory. My fear is that apart from examination reform over
which consensus and Academic Council’s initiative existed in any
case before our meetings, the most useful contribution of the
present committee may be in terms of well thought out and radical
innovations in the curriculum which after all is the central pillar
of any scheme of education.
Before I submit my own humble suggestions in this regard, allow me
to say what the foundations should definitely be not. A foundation
course in the History of India or in the culture and traditions of
the Indian Civilization or in Human Rights or even Comparative
Literature (all literature should be taught comparatively in second
and third years preferably) would rob us of the wonderful
opportunity to expose the students to the best ideas of all
disciplines in a brief and lucid from in their first year of
graduation.
The plea in favour of very broad (and simple) exposition of the
central insights of various disciplines in summary form is made on
three grounds: that before selecting their areas of specialization
students need to be exposed to the whole range of knowledge as far
as possible though an outline; that many key areas of knowledge such
as psychology, philosophy, logic, and even anthropology and cultural
studies etc have never been offered to many students in most schools
and what is worse will never reach them in future life also since
many in our social and economic milieu will never have the
opportunity or inclination to do serious reading in later life; and
lastly, the broad sweep of richest concepts and the adventure with
ideas from different disciplines may have its own beauty and romance
relevant to this age group in its own way despite the dangers of
simplifications. (which ideas are not simplified or controversial in
any case)
Some examples of key ideas which need to be presented and (with some
simplification) can be presented perhaps in concise form to all
students: uniqueness of individuals and the oneness of the human
race; the mental physiological and emotional constituents of this
oneness; Maslow’s structure of the hierarchy of human needs/
aspirations; the evolution of man; broad stages and variations in
trajectories of evolution; power as a feature in human relations;
origins and types of states; the character of the international
economy and the relations between the developed and underdeveloped
worlds; the essentials of the scientific approach (examples from
labs and from everyday life); limitations and critiques of science;
gender: origins of patriarchy, variations over space and time;
women’s struggle for equality today (fieldwork in neighbourhoods);
other forms of inequality; the bases of inequalities and powers and
the assertion of political ideals with special reference to the
genesis of democratic and socialist movements.
These broad categories have not been systematically arranged and
need to be critically debated pruned or extended. My aim in listing
them, in this hurried response, is merely to present the pitch and
range at which two of the four foundation courses in the first year
of the revised curriculum on: Human Sciences: A Broad Perspective
and Human Sciences: Methods and Approaches may be planned. Of course
this is a raw thought for one possible strategy.
At the same time, at least one of the foundation papers shall
definitely be centred on the world of work and practical skills
aiming at both introducing the student to the dignity of labour and
having an attitude for generating self employment if necessary in
his/ her life and also to a conceptual introduction to the range of
literature and ideas on socially committed living through project
works among cooperatives, NGOs etc. Indeed the huge numbers in our
pass course may be usefully oriented towards the cooperative sector
for employment and for strengthening this promising fourth type of
economy in our country. (Institutions like IRMA and IGNOU are
already offering some courses in distance learning in this
direction.)
A fourth and very useful foundation would of course be in the two
areas of aesthetics and information accessing and linguistic skills
focusing on varieties of artistic expressions and notions of ‘good’
taste, linguistics and communication skills on one hand and
accessing knowledge, an early and systematic introduction to the
library, IT and internet etc on the other
Regarding the proposed modules on gender, human rights, media
appreciation/ critique, environment etc. I would like to mention one
fear and one possible remedy. Since this would most likely be an
additional burden on teachers and due to the deep seated assumptions
regarding pedagogy and knowledge in our system this is most likely
to be sabotaged over time like the much maligned SUPW introduced in
secondary education earlier.
To prevent this: only one module per year per student may be made
compulsory, (there need not be an upper limit); but its marks or
grading shall be at par with the main papers and included in final
assessment; teachers may float various types of modules according to
their interests, capacities and surroundings around their colleges
(after permission from the proposed Dept of B.A. Pass); students may
be allowed to associate with any college/ teacher (on the basis of
latter’s capacity) for such modules and may be evaluated on their
project reports from some other teacher to be identified by the
university dept.; teachers offering such guidance may be helped with
a small grant from the university in proportion to the number of
students working with them and requirements of expenses on such
activity.
The Chairman
Committee to Review the Syllabus of the B.A. (Pass) Course
University of Delhi
North Campus.
Delhi-7.
Ref: Proposals of Working Group Meetings held at Zakir Husain
College on 9/10/02 and
19/10/02.
Dear Sir,
As per your suggestion with regard to the formation of working
groups of college teachers associated with Pass Course lectures in
the University, the following teachers met at Zakir Husain College
on 9th and again on 19th October, 2002 and
tried to identify the points of consensus as well as differences in
the present discussion on curriculum and examination reforms:-
Mr. Salman Hashmi (Principal ZHC); Mr. SNA Rizvi (English ZHC); V.P.
Jain (Economics COL); Mr. Neaz Ahmed (Urdu ZHC); Abdul Aziz (Urdu
ZHC); Preeti Dhawan (Psychology LSR); Shama Mitra Chenoy (History
SC) Rupalee Verma (History VMC); Devesh Vijay (History ZHC) Deeba
(English LBC); Naghma Zafir (English ZHC); Uma Shankar (Political
Science ZHC). A few others had also planned to come but could not
attend for various reasons. The meeting was chaired by Mr. SNA Rizvi.
After the welcome, Mr. Rizvi briefly outlined the purpose and
background of the meeting and requested Mr. Hashmi to initiate the
discussion.
Hashmi saheb opened the subject with extremely valuable suggestions
on reviewing the existing emphasis on two compulsory language/
literature papers and gave some revealing comparisons of other
Universities such as Lucknow where the pattern has been different.
It was suggested that apart from the mother tongue, communication
skills in English in particular need to be encouraged. Yet, it is
unfair to debar those students from the graduation degree who find
it impossible to clear the compulsory papers in a language which
remains ‘foreign’ to them.
Apart from the language component, the meeting also discussed the
pros and cons of introducing a compulsary vocational course for all
pass course students, the prospect of restructuring the curriculum
radically by introducing some Foundation Courses in the first year,
elective courses in second year and application courses in the third
year. Thirdly, the meeting turned to a more specific consideration
of examination reforms and ways of actually implementing some of the
suggestions outlined and carefully reviewing the important points of
disagreement among participants at the present stage.
Among the areas of general consensus identified in the meeting were
the strongly felt need for examination reforms and general desire
for curriculum restructuring too. Mr. Jain strongly advocated the
idea of Foundation Courses (as already attempted in the proposed
revision of the B.Sc. syllabus in the University) in the first year
aimed at building students’ sensibilities and basic familiarity with
broad insights of Human Sciences, the scientific method, and
appreciation of arts etc.
At the same time, there was considerable agreement that the present
system of evaluation suffers not only from glaring lapses in
implementation but also in its very approach and assumptions too.
Instead, a more varied and continuous system of assessment with
limited marks for internal evaluation and assessment of students’
attendance record, extra curricular activities etc may be desirable,
it was felt.
With regard to the basic three hour annual examination it was
suggested by Naghma that some short answer questions may help in
compelling the students to study more thoroughly while Devesh
stressed that drafting of model answers by paper setters for
discussion with assistant examiners would diminish extreme
variations in marking criteria adopted by examiners presently. There
was a difference of opinion over whether answer scripts could be
shown to students on demand. Devesh was of the opinion that if the
awards are restricted to only fail, pass and outstanding grades
instead of marks then the risk of unmanageable disputes over results
in a transparent system may be made manageable.
Ms. Dhawan was of the view that a wide variety of short modular
courses in art appreciation, nutrition etc would be of significant
use and to implement these different colleges could specialize in
specific modules allowing students to join them on a shared basis.
Evaluation of these courses could be thru project reports and viva
etc. In this connection, again, Mr. Jain suggested that the
resources of the upcoming Campus of Open Learning could also be
shared quite usefully.
Amongst the areas of disagreement were the relative significance of
compulsory English vis a vis ‘Indian languages’ (whose
marginalization was pointed out by Rupalee); the stress on
communication skills in language teaching stressed by Mr. Aziz); and
the nature of application courses visualized for third year teaching
(for which a separate meeting was considered desirable).
Maximum controversy, however, raged on the desirability of
vocational courses within the University system today. Mr. Hashmi
and Mr. Jain pointed out that employment generation cannot and shall
not be the job of the University and that academic priorities
(generating analytical skills and critical thinking amongst pupils)
shall not be mixed with the task of developing vocational ‘skills’
inside the university system. On the other hand, Ms. Shama explained
the University shall not be seen as an ivory tower or a sort of
think tank while Rupalee also stressed that by ignoring the need to
prepare for gainful careers of this age group we are perhaps being
academically arrogant and also callous towards pupils’ needes.
Yet, disagreements on this issue were somewhat reduced at Devesh’s
suggestion that the principal aim of vocational learning may not be
employment generation alone but as a significant complement to
classical ‘liberal’ ideals of learning which aimed at inducing
‘critical thinking’ through classroom lectures in the Macaulyan
avatar. The stress on some ‘work experience’ also in the future
curriculum of B.A. Pass may also bring in healthy synergy between
the world of books and the knowledge gained from interacting and
associating with diverse people in the field and through work. This
could be systematically integrated with ideas generated in classroom
discussions through through regular assessment of project reports
made by students on the basis of their experiences in the world of
‘work’.
Mr. Hashmi and Mr Uma Shankar still feel that while Devesh’s
proposal sounds idealistic, it would be difficult to implement in
the existing infrastructure and work culture. Devesh reiterated that
a try can still be made and more concrete ideas can emerge for
successful implementation of the ideal if the vision is shared with
teachers at large. In any case, our opposition to privatization of
education should not be mixed up with blind opposition to limited
vocationalisation since the Soviet and Maoist models of Higher
education as also the Gandhian model were extremely emphatic on the
importance of work experience as an integral part of learning. Of
course marks/ grades would have to be awarded to such learning too
in order to make it a serious component of graduation.
The discussion was still alive when we had to close before lunch and
another meeting was considered necessary at a later stage. As we
moved out, the exchange of ideas continued. Mr. Aziz made a very
significant point at this stage when he stated that implementation
is most crucial and critical resistance to any reform is likely to
come from our own vested interests such as those of guide book
writers and the general reluctance to pick new ideas required for
new type of teaching. Devesh suggested that a form could be
circulated in colleges for voluntary offers to teach the
restructured curriculum by interested teachers willing to go through
refresher courses for the same for which the UGC may be asked to
even grant an additional increment, if necessary.
Mr. Aziz also suggested that teachers’ representation on the
Committee would be highly useful, a proposal with which everyone
agreed.
19/10/02.
The group met again at the same venue to further consider concrete
ways of implementing the points of consensus, to review the areas of
disagreement and specially to figure out the scope and ways of
designing the new Foundation and Application courses.
The meeting was attended by many previous participants and some new
friends including Ms. Madhu Prasad (ZHC); Ms. Arti (LSR); Mr. Rao
rabhakar (ZHC); Mr. Naseem Ajmal (ZHC) and Mr. Pavan (ZHC) and Mr.
Guljeet (ZHC).
At the outset Devesh briefed the new members about the background
and previous developments in the discussion. Significantly, in the
extended group again there was general consensus on the need to
revamp the examination system and also on specific suggestions made
in the earlier discussions in this regard. Ms. Madhu, however,
suggested that instead of a pass, fail and outstanding award in the
final exams, the standard four point grading should be used.
After this, the group turned to the more difficult task of drafting
a consensual proposal for the new curriculum which may be workable
within the existing financial and staff constraints.
Devesh argued that the idea of foundation courses floated by the
Committee is most promising. In fact, the first year of the new pass
course could be entirely devoted to broad foundation courses only
including one on the Human Sciences: An Overview; 2) Human Sciences:
Methods and Approaches (including a section on logic and the
scientific method as also limitations and critiques of science); 3)
A course in aesthetics and literary forms and 4) A course in
linguistics and communication skills.
Mr Naseem further stressed the importance of introducing logic to
all students and pointed out that these foundation courses should
contain the principal insights of all (Arts) disciplines in a lucid
form on the basis of which students may be able to make a more
informed choice about the elective subjects in which they wish to
specialize in the second year.
Ms. Prasad stressed at this point that many of these ideas would be
applicable to a revamp of the Honours courses too both in the Arts
and the Sciences streams and to work them out the regular college as
well as the distance mode of education may be used conjointly so
that the students of Correspondence courses are not left out and the
web and video and TV technology being developed for the Campus of
Open Learning may be utilised by regular college students as well.
Hence the Committee shall strongly recommend maximum integration
between different types of courses also. Specially, the idea of the
new Foundation courses should be forwarded for Honours stream as
also the reforms suggested in evaluation procedures. In this
context, Devesh cautioned that the reform of B.A. Pass stream,
however, should not be held up due to deliberations for an Honours
revamp.
The general consensus indeed was that these ideas need to be
seriously pursued through systematic workshops to draft the new
curriculum in detail and also to prepare reading material and
reading lists after serious deliberation. This in turn should be
followed by a series of Refresher Courses for and by teachers
willing to teach these new courses.
The idea of application courses for the new curriculum, however,
failed to generate any consensus. In fact, not only the meeting
drifted into considerable controversy on this issue but due to the
ambiguity of the proposal it remained difficult to even identify the
diverse positions with consistency.
It was suggested that this aspect of the curriculum could focus on
activity based learning with some direct application in life e.g.
following on the foundation course in Aesthetics and an elective in
literature one of the optional application courses could be creative
writing or a specialization in plastic arts etc. Similarly following
on the Foundation in Human Sciences and an elective in Political
Science an Application Course in reporting on the working of Human
rights cases in police stations and in courts could be tried. The
stress on field work, community interaction and project reports
would be important here.
Devesh also cautioned at the same time that it may be too ambitious
for us to target at a large variety of such papers in the third year
unless we are hopeful that more funds and staff would be made
available by the University/ UGC. Moreover the entire exercise may
run into a huge road block of faculty resistance if too many changes
are attempted at the same time. Hence it may be more prudent to not
disturb the existing second and third year courses at the moment.
Yet, the importance of integrating skills with textual knowledge and
the world of work with class room learning cannot be ignored if the
Macaulyan stranglehold on our education is to lifted. Indeed in
order to stall the growth of private institutes as also to address
vital needs of students for developing other facets of their
personality the so called extra curricular activities such as art
appreciation, care of environment, health and hygiene, serious
cinema, interpersonal skills and some courses aimed at enhancing the
earning capacity of this concerned age group through courses such as
small entrepreneurship, careers in emerging ‘domestic’ industries
such as design, software etc. need to be better organized and
institutionalized within the state funded university system and its
formal curriculum.
One way of doing this with minimal effort and expense could be by
offering short term courses in these areas in the form of optional
modules spread over different colleges and making one such module
compulsory for each student in each year of graduation; credits for
which also need to be displayed in the degree. Since each college
cannot offer a wide variety of such possible modules their expertise
may be better shared between them and students may be allowed to
chose freely according to the intake capacity of various centres.
The group reiterated that syllabus review ought to be a continuous
rather than a delayed exercise in the university and refresher
courses for revised papers shall be more frequent.
The group was concerned about the applicability of the new
curriculum and evaluation procedure to the huge number of students
in distance learning. Fortunately, Mr Jain from the Campus of Open
Learning assured that the new COL can not only handle the new
evaluation scheme but can also help regular college students with
online teaching material while partaking of its physical
infrastructure. The sentiment was strongly supported by all that
synergy be sought between distance and regular learning so that
neither stream is marginalized.
(Devesh Vijay)
D 14-A/2, Model Town,
Delhi-7.
Ph: 27137519.
E mail: Devesh1961@sify.com
