Chetan Bhagat's novel 'Five Point Someone' proposed to be included in Delhi University syllabus

Delhi University students in their July session have Chetan Bhagat’s novel Five Point Someone as part of their English Literature syllabus.

Other than Chetan Bhagat’s novel, the syllabus includes fiction novels by American novelist and poet Louisa M Alcott, English crime novelist Agatha Christie and British novelist JK Rowling.

Five Point Someone is part of the Popular Fiction paper in the General Elective, offered to second-year undergraduate students pursuing honours and programme courses under the Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS).

Under this paper, other popular fictions to be taught are Alcott’s Little Women, Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express and Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone.

The writer had earlier posted about the inclusion of his book on Twitter. He has already gotten into argument about whether or not his book is ‘good literature’.

Two years ago, CBCS was introduced by DU. CBCS gives students the liberty that they can study elective subjects from any stream other than subject they are doing Honors in.

So, this paper will be available to students from any stream who want to take up an elective subject from the English department. According to English teachers the paper will be taught by the English department, but it won’t be offered to those studying BA (honours) English.

CBCS core committee of English department recommended the novel as part of the general elective offered by the department.

The modified syllabus copy has been sent to all colleges by the English department.

Teachers have to give their feedback by May 1.

The recommendations now need approval from Academic Council and Executive Council before these are implemented in the new session.

Well, this is for the first time that a Chetan Bhagat’s novel is prescribed in English Literature syllabus by any university.