The Delhi University Academic Council on Tuesday dropped a celebrated short story by Mahasweta Devi from the BA (Hons) English course while approving changes in its syllabus.
The implementation of the NEP from 2022-23 had been approved by the Standing Committee on Academic Matters in its meeting on Monday. Some members said despite opposition from a section of the council, the syllabus of the fifth semester of BA (Hons) English and the New Education Policy was approved.
DU sources said 14 members of the Academic Council gave a dissent note on the changes in the syllabus of BA (Hons) English that dropped Mahasweta Devi’s short story. The Oversight Committee suggested some changes in the syllabus earlier which were opposed in the meeting.
Mithuraaj Dhusiya, an AC member, said, “We strongly protest against the overreach of the Oversight Committee which arbitrarily changed texts in the new undergraduate Learning Outcomes-based Curriculum Framework (LOCF) syllabi of the fifth semester, bypassing the statutory bodies like Faculties, Committee of Courses and Standing Committee.”He said two Dalit authors Bama and Sukirtharini were arbitrarily removed.
“The implementation of NEP 2020 will see a massive reduction of current workload,” a dissent note on the NEP read.