A proposed move to scrap the “Gha” or D unit exams of Dhaka University has not gone down well with the institute’s social sciences faculty.
The faculty members claim that they were not consulted by the higher authorities of the university on such an important matter.
According to Prof Sadeka Halim of the faculty, the vice chancellor and heads of other faculties briefly discussed the issue at a deans' committee meeting in 2020.
"I don't know when discussions turned into a decision. I don't even know when the decision was taken," said the professor who had attended the meeting.
Following the 2020 meeting, Prof Sadeka, who was then the social sciences dean, held a virtual meeting with teachers of all the 16 departments of the faculty and opposed any moves to cancel the exams.
"Now, suddenly a notification was issued after the meeting of the general admission committee of the university on Monday, which said that there will be no D unit from the next academic session," she said.
However, DU VC Professor Akhtaruzzaman denied the claim. "The decision to cancel the D unit exams was taken following due process," he said.
University documents obtained by UNB also reveal that after the meeting of the deans' committee on November 8, 2020, the admission committee subsequently recommended the cancellation of the D unit exams.
Later, at the meeting of the Academic Council on August 16, 2021, the decision was taken to cancel the D unit exams altogether.
But Prof Sadeka said: “There was no talk on the abolition of the D unit exams at the Academic Council meeting. Teachers from different departments of our faculty were present at the Academic Council meeting."
Prof MM Akash, chairman of the economics department, corroborated. "Earlier, a meeting was held between the dean of the social sciences faculty and the heads of the departments, where it was decided not to scrap the exams."
Prof Sadeka said she could move the court of law "if necessary" to keep the D unit.
"The abolition of the D unit exams will reduce opportunities for higher education of humanities and commerce students," said Tauhida Jahan, head of the communication disorders department.
Prof Tanzim Uddin Khan of the Department of International Relations said: “The decision was taken in an undemocratic way. The views of the stakeholders were not taken into account."
Khorshed Alam, associate professor of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, wrote on Facebook: "Only once now! The next d unit is not gone! So how do you do all this cool stuff?"
Students of the social sciences faculty have already embarked on a protest against the decision to cancel the D unit exams.
When asked, Pro VC Prof ASM Maqsood Kama said: “Even if the D unit exams are scrapped, there will be opportunity for the students to change their departments."
