The University of Delhi has issued a directive to its colleges, advising them to avoid scheduling two consecutive Value Addition Courses (VAC) classes. The university states that having two such classes back-to-back could negatively impact students’ learning experiences. The notification further mandates that colleges should not allocate more than two hours per day for VACs and emphasizes strict adherence to these instructions.
However, these new guidelines have sparked significant criticism from within the academic community. Mithuraj Dhusiya, a member of the Delhi University Academic Council, described the changes as merely cosmetic, arguing that they fall short of addressing the core concerns. Dhusiya emphasized the need for increased focus on discipline-specific specialization, questioning the relevance of VAC courses at a time when students require more in-depth learning in their chosen fields.
Adding to the criticism, Abha Dev, Associate Professor at Miranda House, pointed out procedural and practical issues with the new guidelines. Dev argued that the university’s notification unjustly blames colleges for scheduling four consecutive hours for VAC courses, neglecting the fact that these decisions are made by Cluster Coordinators appointed by the university itself. Dev further highlighted the logistical challenges faced by colleges, as they must wait for VAC and SEC slots to be assigned by the Cluster Coordinators before they can even begin the timetable creation process.
