UGC Approves Flexible Degree Completion Options
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Recently, the UGC has sanctioned flexible options of degree completion for undergraduate programmes allowing students to complete degrees either in less or more time than three or four years. It’s also an attempt to allow the student body greater flexibility. Yet experts advise caution that its implementation might create a number of problems for the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
One of the most critical issues the draft guidelines raise is the compatibility between flexible degree pacing and critical milestones such as placement opportunities and postgraduate program schedules. The two key frameworks being introduced by the draft, namely an Accelerated Degree Programme and an Extended Degree Programme, could pose challenges for institutions to accommodate students within the broader academic and placement schedules. ADP facilitates students to complete their degrees early by gaining more credits per semester, whereas EDP provides the students with the opportunity to extend their degrees for up to two additional semesters. This flexibility may cause fragmentation in learning, which may also affect employability and preparedness for competitive job markets. Critics have argued that this kind of fragmentation may undermine the core specialisation in degree programs, which will leave the students not prepared for advanced study or professional growth.
Placement opportunities are a major concern in this regard. With students following non-standard timelines, HEIs may face challenges in synchronizing academic schedules with industry recruitment cycles. M Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman of the UGC, suggested that institutions could mitigate these issues by adopting proactive measures such as rolling placement opportunities, frequent career fairs, and closer collaboration with recruiters. Encouraging internships, part-time roles, or skill-enhancing courses for students on the EDP track may further help maintain industry readiness, while aligning placement cycles with individual student timelines.
The implementation of ADP and EDP also requires careful academic planning. Students will need the guidance of faculty mentors to ensure they are meeting credit requirements while pursuing their academic and career goals. Kumar stressed that mentored, personalized academic plans, while creating flexibility in pathways to which students can adapt with confidence, are essential. Students can then be reviewed regularly and adjusted by several factors such as health issues, internships, or family commitments. HEIs, he added should have policies that allow ease in transition from ADP into EDP and standard degree timelines in time without penalizing the students.
However, flexibility is perceived to dilute the quality of higher education in India by critics. Some institutions will fail to change due to the lack of resources, while others will be unable to maintain academic credibility. For example, NIIT University, Haryana, is confident of such changes; it has prior experience of the EDP model. Prof Prakash Gopalan, NIIT University’s President, cited the existing mentorship programs that have existed for long and readiness to make credits stack up to degree requirements while keeping the academic rigour intact.
Another concern has been regarding the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) which is the backbone of the flexible degree system. Abha Dev Habib, Associate Professor at Miranda House, has accused the framework of not bringing out foundational depth and interdisciplinary coherence. She claims that the credit-based system that allows flexible exits usually compels students to take superficial courses, thus undermining the quality of education. The concentration on credit accumulation rather than subject mastery might turn out to be detrimental, especially in areas that require progressive, linear learning.
Another challenge arose with the four-year undergraduate programme instituted in the University of Delhi in 2022. Its implementation is said to be so problematic due to incomplete syllabi and a lack of preparation from instructors that even the students get puzzled by these issues. Many view these challenges as indicative of greater structural failures within the university, brought about by meager resources, teacher-to-student ratios, and infrastructure.
The fragmentation of learning, according to several experts, is a risk also in diverting attention away from specialization, considered vital for both academic and professional development. According to Associate Professor Mithuraaj Dhusiya, Hansraj College, the value added by this approach in UGCF only dilutes core expertise, leaving the degree programme with no rigour whatsoever.
According to experts, the most challenging one is the uniform recognition of degrees offered under ADP and EDP frameworks. As well-intentioned as these initiatives may seem, a degree obtained through such alternative routes would probably not be equated by employers and academic institutions if a standardised process for examination and evaluation is not applied. Prof Gopalan argued that evaluation processes should align with the standard degree framework, so such degrees are equal in value in the job market.
In conclusion, whereas the UGC’s flexibility in degree completion may offer students the benefits of greater autonomy over their educational journey, the initiative will work effectively only if planned, resources allotted properly, and coordinated well with industry stakeholders. Until that, the initiative will damage the credibility and quality of higher education in India.
