Biannual admissions, relaxed eligibility, dual programmes in draft UGC guidelines for UG, PG degrees

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has drafted the guidelines for 'minimum standards of instruction for the grant of undergraduate degree and postgraduate degree regulations, 2024'. The guidelines make way for biannual admissions and dual degree programmes, eased the eligibility criteria for students and minimum requirements of credits in UG, PG programmes.

Explaining the major changes in the regulations, UGC chief Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar said, “The Draft UGC (Minimum Standards of Instructions in the Award of UG and PG Degrees) Regulations 2024 aims to transform higher education in India by introducing greater flexibility, removal of disciplinary rigidity, inclusivity, and multidisciplinary learning opportunities for students. These regulations facilitate biannual admissions for higher education institutions (HEIs) if they are prepared to introduce them, allowing students to enroll twice a year. The regulations incorporate provisions for multiple entry and exit, recognition of prior learning, and the flexibility to pursue two UG or PG programmes simultaneously.”

“We have also decoupled eligibility for UG and PG admissions from the rigid discipline-specific requirements of school education. Under these regulations students can to choose study in any program irrespective of their past disciplinary qualification if they demonstrate their competency by clearing the relevant entrance examinations. Recognizing the diverse learning modes promoted by NEP 2020, these regulations provide autonomy to HEIs to determine student attendance requirements, ensuring they align with evolving academic needs,” Kumar added.

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Moreover, students will now have the option to earn 50 per cent of their credits in their major discipline, while the remaining credits can be allocated to skill development, apprenticeships, or multidisciplinary subjects, the UGC chairman said. “With these reforms, we ensure that Indian higher education evolves to meet global standards while staying rooted in inclusivity and adaptability to diverse learner needs.”

Draft UGC guidelines for award of UG, PG degrees

Here are the major changes introduced in the draft UGC (Minimum Standards of Instructions in the Award of UG and PG Degrees) Regulations 2024:

Biannual Admissions: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that are prepared to handle biannual admissions may admit students twice a year, in July/August and January/February.

Multiple Entry and Exit Options: The draft regulations provide for multiple entry and exit options, continuous formative assessment, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), and the possibility for students to pursue two UG or PG programmes simultaneously.

Flexibility for Student Admissions: Students can pursue any UG or PG programme regardless of their prior discipline in Class 12 or UG, as long as they qualify the relevant national or university-level entrance examination.

Attendance Flexibility: HEIs, in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, will determine the minimum attendance requirement for students across different programs, subject to approval by their statutory bodies.

Credit Requirements for UG Degrees: To earn an undergraduate degree with a major in a specific discipline, students must complete at least 50% of the total credits in that discipline. The remaining credits can be earned through skill courses, apprenticeships, or multidisciplinary subjects.

Eligibility for postgraduate programmes: Students completing a four-year undergraduate degree (BSc Hons in Physics, BTech, etc.) will be eligible for a two-year or four-semester postgraduate programme (MTech, MSc).

UG degrees will be either three or four years in duration, with the possibility of a shorter or longer duration in specific cases. PG degrees will typically last one or two years.

Additionally, the provisions for Accelerated Degree Programmes (ADP) and Extended Degree Programmes (EDP) are as follows:

• ADP and EDP are applicable at the undergraduate level only.
• HEIs may allocate up to 10% of the intake for ADP, with no cap for EDP.
• A committee at the HEI will evaluate students' performance after the first or second semester and assess their suitability for ADP/EDP.
• Students may choose ADP/EDP by the end of the first or second semester.
• In both ADP and EDP, students will follow the same curriculum content and credit requirements but will complete the program in a shorter or longer time.
• The degree for ADP/EDP will include a note indicating that the academic requirements were met in a shortened or extended duration.