The University Grants Commission (UGC) is planning to change the way colleges and universities assess students. The new system will ensure that the students across colleges have a common framework based on learning outcomes. This will ensure easy movement of students from one course or one college to another course or college. Further, this will also ensure syncing of academic credits of Indian students with that of foreign colleges.
The UGC is planning to tweak the National Higher Education Quality Framework. This is a series of credits which a student gets on completion of certain course. For a certain level of skill obtained, a student gets equivalent certification. As per the existing system, level 10 represents learning outcomes appropriate to the doctoral-level. Under the revised guidelines, the range of credits will be shifted from 4.5 to 8.
Till now, assessment was given to students in the level of 5 to 10 and unless students had the level of given competencies, they were not given the corresponding degree/certification. As per the existing system, level 5 corresponds to certificate level, diploma is level 6 and undergraduate courses at level 8, PG diplomas are level 9. But as per the new policy, at competencies of level 4.5 a student will be ending the first year of their UG course or be eligible for a certificate (if they plan to exit the course there).
The revised scale has been prepared in line with the proposed four-year undergraduate programme structure. Four-year degrees are proposed under NEP. This also aims to accommodate other provisions under NEP which allows students from different streams to study different degree programmes at the same time, study at two colleges simultaneously, or enter or exit a course at any point among others.
These rules will be applicable across courses starting from undergraduate courses to PhDs. Like schools, in higher education too students’ learning outcomes will be assessed yearly based on a standard framework. This will link the academic or more traditional courses with the skill-based or vocational courses and make education across colleges more interdisciplinary and flexible.
UGC chairperson M Jagdeesh held meeting with vice-chancellors of universities, colleges, and heads of institutions across the country in virtual mode to discusses proposed tweaks in the National Higher Education Qualification Framework on May 25. This is start of a series of meetings. At least four meetings will be held between chief of institutes and UGC to ensure implementation of the new guidelines.
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