The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released the curriculum and credit framework for undergraduate programmes on its official website. The new curriculum will provide students with multiple options for entry and exit, a choice between single major and double major and interdisciplinary choices of subjects.
According to an official statement, the framework has been developed by revising the existing Choice Based Credit System (CBCS). According to the programme, students will only be able to pursue a four-year honours degree rather than a three-year course, which happens at present. Honours degrees will also be offered in two categories – honours and honours with research, it said.
“A four-year UG Honours degree in the major discipline will be awarded to those who complete a four-year degree programme with 160 credits and have satisfied the credit requirement. Whereas students who secure 75 per cent marks and above in the first six semesters and wish to undertake research at the undergraduate level can choose a research stream in the fourth year,” the notification read.
“They should do a research project or dissertation under the guidance of a faculty member of the university or college. The research project and dissertation will be in the major discipline. The students who secure 160 credits, including 12 credits from a research project and dissertation, will be awarded UG degree (honours with research),” it further added.
The Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programmes also allows students who leave before three years, to rejoin within three years of their exit and will have to complete their degree within a stipulated period of seven years.
“Students who opt to exit after completion of the first year and have secured 40 credits will be awarded a UG certificate if, in addition, they complete one vocational course of four credits during the summer vacation of the first year. These students are allowed to re-enter the degree programme within three years and complete the degree programme within the stipulated maximum period of seven years,” the commission said.
“Students who opt to exit after completion of the second year and have secured 80 credits will be awarded the UG diploma if, in addition, they complete one vocational course of four credits during the summer vacation of the second year. These students are allowed to re-enter within a period of three years and complete the degree programme within the maximum period of seven years,” it said.
In the case of students pursuing a multidisciplinary programme, the credits to core courses will be distributed among broad disciplines such as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematical and computer sciences, data analysis, social sciences and humanities.
“The statutory bodies of the Universities and Colleges such as the Board of Studies and Academic Council will decide on the list of courses under major category and credit distribution for double major, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary programmes,” it said.
Furthermore, UGC has urged all higher education institutions (HEI) to take the necessary steps to adopt the curriculum and credit framework for UG programmes.
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