Honors degree to be granted after 4 years instead of 3: UGC new draft norms

Students will be able to get an undergraduate ‘honors degree only after completing four years instead of three, according to new draft norms prepared by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The draft ‘curriculum and credit framework for four-year undergraduate programmers’ prepared under National Education Policy is likely to be notified on Monday.

Students will be able to get a UG degree in three years on completion of 120 credits and a UG honors degree in four years on completion of 160 credits.

The UGC has also allowed universities to introduce five-year integrated courses in selected disciplines, with an additional year of coursework on completion of 240 credits than the existing four-year courses.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has decided to introduce the four-year undergraduate programmer (FYUP) at Delhi University. As per the UGC’s fresh draft norms, students will get an honors degree after completing four years of undergraduate programming.

The FYUP also allows multiple entry and exit options for students. If they leave before three years, they will be allowed to rejoin within three years of their exit and will have to complete their degree within a stipulated period of seven years.

The four-year BA/BSc course will have compulsory core courses and optional ones in the first year. Major subjects like English, Mathematics, Social Sciences and Science will be a part of the core curriculum. The students will be able to choose from a wide range of optional courses in the first year.

The second and third years will have compulsory core courses, while the fourth year is for electives. Students can also take up projects or internships during their course of study.

The new scheme will be implemented in 2018, and the government is expected to spend around Rs 5 crore on it. The center has also decided that all existing institutions offering BA/BSc courses will have to get themselves accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NAB).