University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman has rolled out new credit and curriculum framework for undergraduate courses. Jagadesh Kumar, the UGC chairman informs that the students having four-year undergraduate degree can now directly pursue PhD programs. The UGC Chairman also said that universities can now take decisions on their own for offering three-year Honours degrees or four-year undergraduate programs. He further informed that the three-year undergraduate courses will not be discontinued till the four-year undergraduate program is fully implemented.
The new credit and curriculum framework for undergraduate courses was announced earlier this week and it defines Honours degree courses as a four-year program. However, Kumar clarified that universities can choose between three and four-year programs. "It is left to the universities," he said in an interview with PTI on Wednesday. He was asked whether it is mandatory for universities to migrate to the four-year pattern for Honours degrees.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman also said candidates with four-year undergraduate degrees can directly pursue PhD and they will not require a Master's degree. Describing the benefits of the four-year undergraduate program (FYUP), Kumar said, "The first advantage is that they do not have to do a Master's degree to join a PhD program. They can also take a single or double major to gain a deeper knowledge of a given discipline."
"Since multidisciplinary courses, ability enhancement courses, skill enhancement courses, value-added courses, and internships are embedded in the FYUP, it will enhance the opportunities for students to take up employment or go for higher studies," he said. The UGC on Monday notified the curriculum and credit framework for undergraduate programs which will provide students with multiple options for entry and exit, a choice between single major and double major and interdisciplinary choices of subjects. The framework has been developed by revising the existing Choice Based Credit System.
Under the program, students will only be able to pursue a four-year honours degree rather than a three-year course like the present. Honours degrees will also be offered in two categories -- honours and honours with research.
(with inputs from PTI)
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