New Delhi , July 14: Delhi University (DU) is considering a major overhaul of its Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) by introducing a cluster-based model for the fourth year after witnessing lower-than-expected student enrolment, according to a media report.
The proposal, which is under examination by the university administration, comes just a year after the fourth year of undergraduate studies was introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Under the proposed model, only selected colleges would offer fourth-year classes, with students from multiple affiliated colleges attending classes at designated cluster institutions. The move is aimed at improving the utilisation of infrastructure, faculty and other academic resources while maintaining the quality of education.
The recommendation was put forward by the Delhi University Principals’ Association (DUPA), which argued that conducting fourth-year programmes in every college may not be financially, academically or administratively sustainable given the low enrolment.
According to the report, only around 30 per cent of eligible students opted for the fourth year during the previous academic session, while initial trends for the upcoming academic year indicate an even lower level of interest.
Delhi University Registrar Vikas Gupta said the university is examining the proposal carefully to ensure efficient use of public resources. He noted that running fourth-year classes in every college may not be practical if enrolment remains low.
The university has clarified that students whose colleges are not selected to offer the fourth year would not be required to formally transfer. Instead, they would continue to remain enrolled in their parent colleges while attending classes at the designated cluster college.
In a letter submitted on July 10, DUPA recommended that colleges offering the fourth year should be identified on the basis of infrastructure, faculty strength, academic resources and student demand.
University officials said no final decision has been taken and that the proposal will be reviewed after the ongoing admission process concludes and complete enrolment data becomes available.
If approved, the cluster-based model would mark the first major revision to the implementation of Delhi University’s flagship Four-Year Undergraduate Programme under the NEP 2020. Officials believe the move could optimise teaching resources while reducing the burden on colleges that had expanded infrastructure, including temporary classrooms, to accommodate the additional year.
