Delhi university planning to offer 4 year B.Sc. course

Delhi university planning to offer 4-yr B.Sc. course

New Delhi: With an aim to bring science education at par with American model, after examining the suggestion proposed by three academies —Indian Academy of Science, Bangalore, Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi, and the National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad, proposed in October 2008, the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Delhi University (DU) may soon offer a four year B.Sc. Programme.

After completing four year B.Sc. course students would be able to enroll for a dual M.Sc. and Ph.D. course.

Those wanting to opt out a year after enrolling in the dual course would get an M.Sc. degree.

At present, a Life Sciences student does not and cannot study mathematics, and vice versa, due to rigid structures.

If the new system gets good response, it could also be extended to other streams such as humanities, especially economics.

Many important universities are likely to adopt the new four-year system.

Showing good response to the plan, Sukhdeo Thorat, UGC chairperson said, "We will discuss it soon in the full commission meeting. The suggestion should be expanded to include a provision for those pursuing science to simultaneously do a course in humanities and share the credit."

Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Deepak Pental has described it a good step taken to revive science education.

Speaking about the proposal, Prof. Pental said, "We will look into it. First we would like that infrastructure of our colleges improves. Introduction of four-year B.Sc. programme would bring science education at a par with the US system. But first we will introduce the semester system."

National Academy of Sciences president Ashok Misra said the four year programme would be close to an engineering degree. "The course would emphasize on practical and project work and hence would be more professional. Our engineers are lapped up by industry, why shouldn't it be the same with our science graduates? Also, a quality programme will allow bright students to take up a Ph.D. immediately after they graduate, thus saving them a year," he said.