Indian universities and higher education institutions will now be permitted to offer admissions twice a year, similar to the practice in foreign universities, following approval from the University Grants Commission (UGC), university body chief Jagadesh Kumar announced. The two admission cycles will be scheduled for July-August and January-February, beginning with the 2024-25 academic session.
“If Indian universities can offer admission twice a year, it will benefit many students such as those who missed admission to a university in the July-August session due to a delay in the announcement of board results, health issues, or personal reasons,” a PTI report quoted Kumar as saying.
According to Kumar, biannual university admissions will help students maintain motivation since they do not have to wait one full year to be admitted if they miss admission in the current cycle. With biannual admissions in place, industries can also do their campus recruitment twice a year, improving employment opportunities for the graduates.
He further elaborated that biannual admissions will also enable higher education institutions (HEIs) to plan their resource distribution, such as faculty, labs, classrooms, and support services, more efficiently, resulting in a better functional flow within the university.
However, Kumar clarified that universities will not be mandated to offer biannual admissions. Higher education institutions that have the required infrastructure and teaching faculty can utilize the opportunity.