Bihar state universities to introduce 4-year UG programme from upcoming academic session

PATNA: All state universities in Bihar will introduce four-year bachelor degree courses under the choice-based credit system from the coming academic session this year, a statement issued by Raj Bhavan said. A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar who is also the chancellor of state universities.

Currently, most colleges in the state are running three-year degree courses. The meeting, attended by almost all Vice-Chancellors of state universities and senior officials of the education department, continued till late in the evening on Thursday and the decision has been taken following the recommendation of the National Education Policy-2020.

“Four-year bachelor degree courses under CBCS and semester system will be introduced from the coming academic session (2023-27). In the first year of the introduction of the CBSC and semester system, universities will start their own admission process. "But from the next academic session, there will be a centralised admission process and all universities will follow that only. A committee of experts will also be constituted to decide the curriculum for the first year of the new system," the Raj Bhavan statement said.

CBCS allows students to choose inter-disciplinary, intra-disciplinary courses, skill-oriented papers even from other disciplines according to their learning needs, interests and aptitude. The University Grant Commission (UGC) has prepared the course structure for a four-year graduation programme and some varsities, including Delhi University, have introduced it.

The revised course would impart training in skill development right from the first year, said a senior official of the education department. The undergraduate programmes under CBSC would be divided into eight semesters, and students will be awarded a certificate after completing one year of two semesters, the official said. Despite repeated attempts, Bihar Education Minister Chandrashekhar could not be reached for his comments.