IN STEP WITH THE TIMES
Year 2020 was a challenging time for Delhi University due to multiple factors, including several beyond contemplation and the university’s control. However, even in the trying Covid times, the university strived to achieve the goals stated in its vision and mission. In the past one year, the focus has particularly been on studentcentric activities, such as online classes, online examinations and assessment, digital provisional certificates and degrees, making admissions completely online, as well as placements and internships.
The pandemic and the lockdown had almost brought Delhi University to a standstill during midsemester. Traditional classrooms were completely replaced by online learning platforms. Students were provided reading material online. Internal assessments and examinations were conducted online for the first time. Holding an open book examination (OBE) for the first time—and for such a huge number of students and courses—was not only a colossal task but an experimental process. (For the record, 290,000 students wrote the first OBE held in August 2020 and 170,000 in December 2020.)
Students were able to write their exam papers within the comforts of their homes; teachers evaluated them through electronic means. Final-year students, after passing out, were issued ‘Digital Provisional Certificates’ so that they could apply for higher education, including in foreign universities. For the first time, students were also issued ‘Digital Degrees’.
“Delhi University has improvised its systems to adapt to the Covid challenge” —PROF. P.C. JOSHI, Pro Vice-Chancellor, University of Delhi
For the academic year 2020-21, admissions to various courses and levels were conducted online, and the university—with its resources and expertise—devised solutions to the unique challenges encountered. The Central Placement Cell collaborated with Internshala (an internship and training platform). More than 6,000 WFH (work from home) internship opportunities, and another 4,000 internships under the ‘Chalo India’ programme, were extended to the students of the university.
To expand its e-learning model, the university launched the OneDU Flagship Programme, under which all e-learning resources offered by the varsity were integrated and brought onto a single platform. OneDU will promote online education across departments, colleges, centres and affiliated bodies of the university. It aims to enhance accessibility to learning, foster best practices and promote professional development by harnessing educational technologies.
The focus on research is increasing day by day. It has brought concrete
results in terms of a higher H-index for the university, from 197 to 218 in June 2020. The score is one of the best among universities in the country. In addition, the number of research papers in Scopus indexed journals has gone up by about 5 per cent in the past one year.
The university has been encouraging multidisciplinary studies and research. Recently, it launched a multidisciplinary postgraduate course, MSc Biophysics (for 2021-22). It is an amalgamation of biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science and statistics. The university has also launched the BSc (Honours) in Environmental Science programme.
The university has already implemented the Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS) at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The curriculum, under CBCS, is divided into core courses (foundational), elective courses (specialisation) and open elective courses (skill based or multidisciplinary). CBCS is being implemented in undergraduate courses since 2018-19. Every course at this level has a multidisciplinary element. For instance, BSc (Honours) Anthropology has subjects like tourism administration, food technology and marine science as generic elective. BSc Biomedical Science has papers like ‘Bridging information technology and biotechnology’ and ‘Intellectual property rights and drug development’.
With a focus on the future, the university has also constituted the National Education Policy 2020 Implementation Committee. The panel will make recommendations for implementation of NEP in the university. The committee is examining issues relating to academic programmes, bearing in mind the multidisciplinary approach, holistic curriculum, including teaching of languages, ethics, values and culture, co-curricular activities and sports, skill enhancement and research. ■
STUDENTSPEAK “At the Delhi School of Economics, education is imparted from a practical point of view, which prepares us for the real world. I am fortunate to have learnt from India’s most renowned economists” — SHREYAS MEHRA, MA in Economics, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University RESEARCH PAPERS IN SCOPUS INDEXED JOURNALS HAVE GONE UP BY ABOUT 5 PER CENT IN THE PAST ONE YEAR. THE UNIVERSITY HAS LAUNCHED A MULTIDISCIPLINARY COURSE, MSc IN BIOPHYSICS. IT’S A COMBINATION OF BIOLOGY, PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, MATHEMATICS, COMPUTER SCIENCES AND STATISTICS