New Delhi: In a bid to bring greater flexibility and adaptability to postgraduate education, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has unveiled draft norms for postgraduate courses where students with a four-year undergraduate degree may soon have the opportunity to pursue a one-year master’s program.
Additionally, all postgraduate students will have the flexibility to switch disciplines or opt for alternative modes of learning, including offline, distance, online, and hybrid options.
The UGC has crafted a draft curriculum and credit framework for postgraduate courses, aligning with the recommendations outlined in the new National Education Policy (NEP).
As per the NEP recommendations, students completing a four-year bachelor’s program with honours or honours with research may be eligible for a one-year master’s program.
The draft norm said, “Seemingly it appears there are three designs of PG such as 1-year master, 2-year master, and an integrated 5-year programme. However, given that in 4-year UG there are bachelor’s (Hons.) and bachelors (Hons. with Research), creditization of work experience, combinations of disciplines with emerging subjects such as AI, Machine Learning, etc. makes the number of curricular frameworks much higher.”
Higher education institutions have been instructed to prepare the curriculum according to the programme’s graduate attributes.
The proposed norms outline the eligibility criteria for master’s programs, stating that a student can pursue a master’s program in a discipline corresponding to either the major or minor discipline in their UG program. Admission to master’s programs can be based on the student’s performance in the undergraduate program or through an entrance examination.
“However, irrespective of the major or minor disciplines chosen by a student in a UG programme, a student is eligible for admission in any discipline of Master’s programmes if the student qualifies the National level or University level entrance examination in the discipline of the Master’s programme,” the draft norm highlighted.
Moreover, the Commission has suggested allowing graduates of four-year undergraduate programs, three-year undergraduate programs, two-year postgraduate programs, or five-year integrated programs (UG PG) in STEM subjects to qualify for admissions into ME, MTech, and related fields.
In a move to address the possibility of students reconsidering their career paths after obtaining their first degree, the draft norms allow students enrolled in two-year postgraduate programs to have an exit option after the first year, earning them a postgraduate diploma.
The UGC’s proposed norms, inspired by the NEP, aim to provide students with the freedom to navigate their academic journeys with increased flexibility and choice in postgraduate education. The draft curriculum and credit framework are expected to be made available to the public soon for feedback and suggestions.
