Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti campaigns at DU; affirms solidarity with Kejriwal
Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate in relation to the excise policy case.
Even as students are on relay hunger strike at the gates of Delhi University’s Arts Faculty, the Executive Council (EC) of DU will decide on whether to conduct a common entrance test for M.Phil. and Ph.D. programmes in its meeting on 14 July.
Such a proposal was passed in the Academic Council (AC) meeting held last month in which it was decided that, “there shall be a common Entrance Test for M.Phil. and Ph.D. programmes to be conducted by the University, once a year, where both programmes are offered by the Departments”. However, it has to be ratified by the EC, the highest decision-making body.
A row erupted and students began an indefinite fast after the repetition of about 90 per cent questions in the paper for the entrance test to M.Phil. and Ph.D. in the department of Buddhist Studies. They demanded action against the head of the department.
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As of now the university conducts separate entrance tests for the two programmes. Conducting a common entrance test for both M.Phil and Ph.D would be quite challenging, many teachers felt.
AK Bhagi , EC member from the National Democratic Teachers Front (NDTF), is of the view that conducting a common single test for both M.Phil. and Ph.D. programmes is not logical as a post-graduate student may apply for both M.Phil and Ph.D thereby competing with an M.Phil student who has applied for Ph.D. This will lead to ‘unhealthy competition’ in which a student of M.Phil may have an edge over the post-graduate student. He advocated more clarity and the setting up of a proper mechanism.
Fire-brand EC member Rajesh Kumar Jha of Academics for Action and Development (AAD) is of the view that entrance tests for the programmes should be left to the departments to decide and things should not be ‘micromanaged’. “Common entrance is fine but every department has its own decision-making body and has quite capable professors who should be left to decide upon such matters,” said Jha.
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