UCG releases draft of framework for 4-year undergraduate courses

Under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, universities and colleges will now offer 4-year undergraduate degrees with multiple exit and entry options

The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Thursday released a draft curriculum framework for the four-year undergraduate programmes (FYUGP) that will be implemented in all higher education institutions from the upcoming academic session 2022-23.

The programme is divided into eight semesters and students will require 160-176 credits for a four-year degree with honours/research

Under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, universities and colleges will now offer 4-year undergraduate degrees with multiple exit and entry options. Several universities, including the Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University, have already decided to adopt these programmes from this year.

The programme is divided into eight semesters and students will require 160-176 credits for a four-year degree with honours/research. A credit is a unit by which the coursework is measured. One credit is equivalent to one hour of teaching (lecture or tutorial) or two hours of practical or field work per week.

As per the UGC draft document titled ’Curricular Framework and Credit System for the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme’, FYUGP students will study a set of “common” and “introductory” courses in natural sciences, humanities and social sciences during the first three semesters, regardless of their selected stream -- Science, Humanities or Commerce.

The common courses include English, a regional language, courses on “understanding India”, environmental science, health and wellness or yoga and sports, Artificial Intelligence and big data analysis.

At the end of the third semester, students will have to declare a “major”, which will be a subject they want to study in depth. In addition to the major, a student will also choose two minors relating to a disciplinary or inter-disciplinary area of study, including a vocational education programme.

At the beginning of the seventh semester, each student will take up a research project along with advanced disciplinary/inter-disciplinary courses and research methodology courses.

“The final or eighth semester will be devoted exclusively to the research project. The project should be related to a topic in the chosen ‘major’ disciplinary programme of study or an inter-disciplinary topic that has a substantial overlap with the major disciplinary/inter-disciplinary programmes of study,” the draft stated.

The FYUGP will be a flexible programme with options for multiple exits and entries. Students will be awarded with a certificate after completing 1 year (2 semesters) of study in the chosen fields of study, a diploma after 2 years (4 semesters) of study, a bachelor’s degree after a 3-year (6 semesters) programme of study, a bachelor’s degree with honors or research after a 4-year (eight semesters) programme.

The credit requirement at each level has also been fixed. Around 40-44 credit-hours will be required for a certificate, 80-88 for a diploma, 120-123 for a degree and 160-176 credits will be needed for a degree with honours/research.

Under special circumstances, students will be permitted an extension, so as to enable her/him to fulfill all requirements for the degree. The FYUGP will also allow credit accumulation through the facility created by the Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) scheme. The validity of credits earned would be seven years.

After completion of a FYUGP with research with at least 7.5 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA), students will be eligible to enroll for PhD courses along those pursuing or completed the postgraduate courses.

The draft framework emphasised that it was mandatory for students to do internships with local industry, businesses, artists, and crafts persons, among others to actively indulge in the practical side of their learning and further, improve their employability. These internships will be required before exiting the course at any point.

The commission has sought suggestions from stakeholders on the draft framework by April 4.

Meanwhile, a section of teachers raised concerns over the FYUGP framework. “The idea of spending 3 semesters on modules which will be common to all students is an extremely faulty idea and was one of the major reasons for students to rally against the FYUGP model at DU imposed in 2013. After schooling, which ends with intense study of certain subjects of choice only, wasting time of students in higher education through diluted common modules for all streams diffuses the attention of students. Common modules for all students means that these will be not even of the level of class 11 and 12,” said Abha Dev Habib, an associate professor at Delhi University’s Miranda House College.

Rajesh Jha, a professor at DU’s Rajdhani College, said, “ The drastic reduction in credits under FYUGP will take away the academic rigour and quality required for direct entry to PhD.”