Delhi University (DU) on Saturday announced that from the upcoming academic year, students will have to plant a sapling and will be required to send regular status updates. ‘Planting a tree’ will be part of the new curriculum, senior DU officials said.
DU vice-chancellor P.C. Joshi said the new curriculum will be applicable to students enrolled in undergraduate, postgraduate, M.Phil and Ph.D programmes.
“The programme will be scientifically monitored and evaluated by respective colleges, centres and departments. Details of the methods and process for evaluation have been simplified and made easier for the students so that they actually contribute to society and towards better environmental protection,” said Mr. Joshi.
Students will also have to send regular updates about the status of the tree they planted, and their degrees will also be based on it.
“At the end of the course, students will have to show the status of the trees that they planted. If they are unable to show it, then their degrees will not be awarded. There might be cases where the tree could have been damaged due to some natural calamity. In such instances, students will have to provide relevant proof. Through this programme, restoration of native species will be promoted,” Mr. Joshi added.
Professor Dinabandhu Sahoo, director of the Centre for Himalayan Studies, said: “Today, we are facing a major biosphere crisis and there are only 28 trees per person in India while the global average is 422 trees per person. Planting and subsequent maintenance of trees will create jobs at a different level and will yield several valuable products that can provide suitable income.”
