Delhi University body sets up panel to look at ‘semester away programme’

DElhi University’s executive director council (EC) on wed decided to go under up a citizens committee to see a proposal for introducing a “Semester Away Programme” (SAP), which would allow students to spend one semester of their degree at a Foreign Higher Education Institution.The decision was taken at a meeting of the executive council, chaired by DU vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh. According to a press note, the committee, to be headed by Dean of Colleges Balram Pani, will consult all stakeholders.The SAP programme, aimed at providing undergraduate students with global exposure, is part of the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework 2022, approved by the academic council earlier this month.Also read: Supreme Court junks plea seeking new legislation for hate speechIn other decisions, EC decided to constitute a separate committee to examine appointment-related issues at St. Stephen’s College. The committee, chaired by Prof. Inder Mohan Kapahi, was formed after the university noted that the college’s shortlisting criteria did not align with university regulations. “According to EC members, the college was shortlisting 70 candidates per unreserved vacancy, whereas the approved norm is 40 candidates per vacancy and 20 for subsequent vacancies,” a statement read.The council approved the proposal to allow students to earn up to 5% of their total credits through credit-based courses offered on online platforms such as Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds and other Massive Open Online Courses. The council stated that each department will form a panel of faculty members to determine the details of courses offered online through approved platforms.Also read: Committee to study feasibility of converting aided colleges into private universities“For four-year undergraduate courses, students can earn up to 8 credits, two-year postgraduate students can earn up to four, whereas one-year PG students can earn up to two. PhD scholars can earn up to four credits,” the statement read.EC approved recommendations to restructure BA program combinations for the 2026–27 academic session, allowing colleges to review subjects with low demand or vacant seats and consider combining them with other subjects such as Urdu, Arabic, Persian, Bengali, and Telugu.Also read: 'You’ve been hacked': Porn videos interrupt Delhi HC hearings thrice; probe on“No new programs will be introduced, and no existing programs will be discontinued. Intake capacity will remain unchanged, although additional seats may be added if adequate faculty and infrastructure are available,” the statement read.The council also approved an allocation of ₹174.20 crore for the construction of a new building at Maurice Nagar for the Institute of Nano Medical Sciences.In addition, the university will establish a “Centre for Advanced Studies in Buddhist Studies” under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram. According to the officials, the Ministry of Minority Affairs has granted approval for the centre’s first phase of establishment.The university has also approved revised construction plans for two academic blocks at the Delhi School of Economics at North Campus. The revision reduces the number of trees to be felled from 67 to 33, while keeping the project within the previously approved cost of ₹246.80 crore, according to the official statement.