Delhi University scraps Manusmriti proposal, rolls back fee hikes in correction charges

The Academic Council, comprising teachers, objected to the hike in fee approved by Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh last month. Meanwhile, the vice-chancellor on Thursday rejected the proposal to teach Manusmriti to LLB students after it drew flak from a section of teachers and students.

New Delhi: The Delhi University (DU) on Friday rolled back the hike in charges for making corrections in marksheet and degree certificates following objections by the Academic Council members, an official statement said.

The council, comprising teachers, objected to the hike in fee approved by Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh last month, affecting an increase from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 in the fee for those seeking correction in marksheet and degree within six years from the day of graduation and Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 for a period more than six years.

An action taken report on the fee hike along with various other items was tabled before the AC for apprising them about the proposals already passed by the VC by exercising his special powers.

The administration had to amend the approved proposal due to their opposition, the teachers claimed.

Apart from this, the council gave its nod to several proposals, including one on introducing courses for LLB Students at Faculty of Law on the three new criminal laws which came into effect on July 1, introducing a programme on BA (Hons) in Russian Language and allowing the students to pursue two degrees simultaneously.

A proposal to establish Dr BR Ambedkar Chair in the university has been sent to the UGC to seek its approval, the statement said.

The council also approved proposal on introducing 6 elective papers titled 'Introduction to Vedic Literature', 'Upanishad Parichaya', 'Dharma and Religion', 'Hindu Thinkers', 'Bhagavad Gita for Humanity and 'Purana Parichaya' for students at Centre for Hindu Studies.

The proposals were passed during the 1018th meeting of the Delhi University Academic Council held on Friday.

During the meeting, a BA programme on Russian Language under the Department of Slavonic and Finno-Ugrian Studies, Faculty of Arts was approved for undergraduate students starting 2024-2025 academic year.

"This is the first time in DU, that Russian program has been included at UG level. Earlier it was only taught at PG level," the vice chancellor said as quoted in the statement.

During the AC meeting, the course curriculum of the programme was passed by accepting the recommendations made by the Faculty of Arts with minor modifications. This program will be implemented from the academic session 2024-2025, it said.

The recommendations of the Department of Anthropology to make amendments to allow students of MSc Forensic Science to visit the crime scene through the police station were also approved.

The applicability of the provision of obtaining two degrees simultaneously was also considered and passed. Under this, one degree can be done in regular mode in the colleges/departments of the university and the other degree can be done in open and distance learning mode in the School of Open Learning, Campus of Open Learning of the University.

Meanwhile, the vice-chancellor on Thursday rejected the proposal to teach Manusmriti to LLB students after it drew flak from a section of teachers and students. Speaking to PTI, VC Singh said the proposal was rejected because a pre-screening committee did not find the proposal appropriate.