Fund crunch derails DU's environment course

NEW DELHI: When it comes to environment education at the college level, Delhi University still seems to find itself in doldrums.
The environment study course designed by DU for first year undergraduate students has failed to take off even five years after its inception.
According to a Supreme Court directive, environment studies are to be introduced as a separate subject for all university students from the next academic session.
Officials say the university has not been able to introduce the course due to a fund crunch, with the University Grants Commission (UGC) refusing to pitch in cash.
"The comprehensive one-year course curriculum has been ready for many years now. However, environment education cannot be introduced as a separate paper till the necessary support systems are in place," said DU pro vice-chancellor C R Babu.
UGC officials, on the other hand, are quick to point out that they do not have any directions on providing funds for new courses.
According to the commission, universities are free to adopt the existing model course on environment, that UGC has designed.
DU Authorities, however, claim that UGC''s curriculum doesn''t fit the university''s requirements.
"UGC''s course is only of six months'' duration, whereas we designed a one- year course. If one wants environment education to be taken seriously, the course has to be a full-length credit based programme," said a senior DU official.
While environment forms a part of a number of post graduate courses at DU, most undergraduate courses do not include a comprehensive study of the subject.
Though revised courses like BA and BSc are to incorporate environment as a fundamental component, a separate course will be required for many existing honours programmes.
Authorities say they are ready to initiate the programme as soon as they have funds to recruit teachers, or invite experts for guest lectures.