NEP’s fourth-year UG rollout struggles to find takers

According to college administrators however, the programme has generated more questions than admissions in its inaugural year

While the first batch of students admitted under the National Education Policy’s (NEP’s) undergraduate curriculum has now reached the fourth year of study, marking a key milestone in the Centre’s higher education reforms, admissions for the new academic session are seeing a subdued response thanks to uncertainty over fees, eligibility, curriculum, implementation, and career outcomes.

The fourth year, introduced under the NEP 2020, allows students to graduate with either an honours degree or an honours with research degree, and is aimed at bringing Indian undergraduate education in line with global standards through multidisciplinary learning, research opportunities and the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC). (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The fourth year, introduced under the NEP 2020, allows students to graduate with either an honours degree or an honours with research degree, and is aimed at bringing Indian undergraduate education in line with global standards through multidisciplinary learning, research opportunities and the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC).

To facilitate the rollout, the Maharashtra higher and technical education department has issued guidelines for uniform implementation across state public universities, affiliated colleges and autonomous institutions. Students pursuing the honours with research degree will work under recognised PhD guides while all students will be required to register on the ABC platform to enable credit transfer and multiple entry-exit options. The framework also permits students to join the fourth year at another institution; subject to eligibility, availability of seats and reservation norms.

According to college administrators however, the programme has generated more questions than admissions in its inaugural year.

Professor Abhijit Chavan of Sir Parashurambhau (SP) College said, “Our understanding is that students completing the fourth year will receive an honours degree, while those opting for the research track will study alongside first-year postgraduate students. The syllabus is almost identical to the first year of a master’s programme.”

The new system will not increase postgraduate intake because the sanctioned seats will accommodate students entering through the multiple entry and exit framework. Chavan expects admissions to remain modest this year as the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has only recently declared third-year results, leaving several students ineligible after failing to clear their examinations. “The actual impact of the fourth-year model will become clear only after the next couple of years,” Chavan said.

Whereas professor Puja Yadav of Modern College said that the eligibility criteria have limited the number of students who can apply. “Students need a CGPA of 7.5 or above to be eligible for the fourth year, and many have not met that requirement. There is also confusion regarding the apprenticeship component because detailed operational guidelines have not yet been issued,” she said. Not every institution has the faculty strength or research infrastructure required to offer the programme. “If only two or three students opt for the fourth year, it becomes difficult for colleges to start a separate programme. These practical challenges are affecting admissions,” Yadav said.

Professor Santosh Phrande from Fergusson College described the fourth year as one of the NEP’s most significant reforms but said that implementation remains a work in progress. “The programme gives students flexibility to pursue higher education abroad, shift between institutions, and even move across disciplines using the ABC. Earlier, such mobility was not available in the traditional three-year degree structure,” he said.

But the biggest concern is funding. “The government has indicated that the fourth year should be run on an unaided basis. For aided colleges such as Fergusson, this means fees are likely to increase substantially and that is one of the reasons students are hesitant to enrol,” he said. Phrande further said that the contradiction – wherein while NEP emphasises education in regional languages, the fourth year is expected to be English-medium and unaided –needs to be addressed

Referring to institutions in districts such as Gadchiroli, Satara or Nandurbar, Phrande said that these institutions may not have the laboratories, journals, research guides, or faculty required to support research-based undergraduate education. Overall, colleges believe that the success of the reform will depend less on its academic vision and more on how quickly the government and universities address concerns over funding, implementation, infrastructure and student awareness.