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Environment to yoga: UGC lists ‘value added courses’ for undergraduates
The UGC document, titled “Curriculum and credit framework for four-year undergraduate programmes”, seen by HT, is set to be notified on Monday
Understanding India with a historical perspective; knowledge of India’s environment in its totality; yoga education; fitness and sports; and digital learning; are among the common “value added courses” suggested by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in its new guidelines for undergraduate students.
The UGC document, titled “Curriculum and credit framework for four-year undergraduate programmes”, seen by HT, is set to be notified on Monday. It lays down guidelines to be followed by universities and colleges that are set to enroll students under four-year undergraduate programmes from this year.
Under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, universities and colleges will offer four-year undergraduate degrees with multiple exit and entry options. On Saturday, HT reported that the UGC guidelines suggested that students will now get an undergraduate “honours” degree only after completing a four-year course, instead of three years.
According to the guidelines, the undergraduate students will now take up courses of their interest from ability enhancement (language), skill enhancement, and value-added categories in their first two semesters. These courses will be common for all students irrespective of their disciplines.
Under the Value-added category (VAC), the higher education regulator has suggested courses such as “understanding India”, “environmental education”, “digital and technological solutions”, and “health and wellness”, “yoga education”, “sports and fitness”. Students can earn six to eight credits through these courses, the document stated.
Through courses based on “understanding India”, the UGC aims to enable students to acquire and demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of contemporary India with a historical perspective.
“The course will attempt to deepen knowledge about and understanding of India’s freedom struggle and of the values and ideals that it represented to develop an appreciation of the contributions made by people of all sections and regions of the country, and help learners understand and cherish the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution and to prepare them for their roles and responsibilities as effective citizens of a democratic society,” the document states.
“Yoga education would focus on preparing students physically and mentally for the integration of their physical, mental, and spiritual faculties, and equipping them with basic knowledge about one’s personality, maintaining self discipline and self-control, to learn to handle oneself well in all life situations,” it added.
UGC chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar said, “The new four-year curriculum framework provides for holistic education by allowing students to experience courses from multiple disciplines as envisaged in the NEP 2020”.
The universities will be able to design their own VACs as well.
Meanwhile, the UGC guidelines also suggested introducing summer internships at the undergraduate level to provide industry experience to students — earning them two to four credits.
“A key aspect of the internship is induction into actual work situations. Internships involve working with local industry, government or private organizations, business organizations, artists, crafts persons, and similar entities to provide opportunities for students to actively engage in on-site experiential learning,” the document states.
