FYUGP and the opportunities ahead

The new National Educational Policy (NEP 2020) document in its section on Higher Education recommends the introduction of four-year honour’s undergraduate program (FYUGP) with or without research, one year or a two-year PG program with inclusion of one-year exclusive research (for a two-year PG program), replacement of choice-based credit system (CBCS) with National Credit Framework (NCF) at UG and PG level in higher educational institutions (HEIs), and shift from existing high-stakes examinations towards more continuous and comprehensive evaluation during the course of a program.

Besides, the NEP 2020 also emphasises on other crucial measures to revamp the Indian higher education sector by increasing the employability potential of higher educational programmes, and enhancing access to aspirants by establishing more high-quality autonomous teaching intensive and research intensive HEIs.

The credit based FYUGP is a futuristic solid investment and is expected to infuse the spirit of paradigm shift in the college academia by integration of general academic curriculum with skill and vocational education during a four year stay of a student in a college besides a deeper knowledge in the major discipline. Thus a student has to be very cautious to decide which college is right for him/her as all the degree colleges don’t provide equal facilities and support systems for academic success and professional development. 

It is important for a learner to know what a four year degree can offer to them and a stakeholder can definitely question about the return on investment of four years.

A four-year bachelor’s degree offers the features of flexible learning, dual degree option, single major or double major choice, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary minors, yearly exit and entry, skilling, vocational training, internships, apprenticeship, ability enhancement learning, value addition learning, rigorous research project in the major discipline, alternative pathways of learning (blending online and offline learning). 

Thus, a learner must seek the opportunity to learn more about himself/herself, broaden his/her horizons within the available major and minor discipline options, develop a speciality that suits to him/her and identify a better career and job security after finishing a four year degree. 

Similarly, the length to pursue a PG degree for a FYUG degree holder will be limited to only a minimum of 40 credits to be completed within one year of enrolment in a HEI (one year PG) instead of a two-year PG stay for a student holding a three-year UG degree under the 10+2+3 scheme. 

However, it is criticised largely as a regressive rather than productive or progressive initiative. It is not clear whether it will prove as a blessing or a burden to an Indian college student considering the existing infrastructural gaps, weak pedagogy, deficit human resource, and academic leadership lacunae faced in the degree colleges. 

In such a scenario that a student will not get a full length stay in a university environment and relish its ambience (as is known for a university kind of learning environment), the full responsibility lies on administration of degree colleges to make the progress of a learner enrolled in a FYUGP meaningful by providing all the requisite physical and related infrastructural facilities, pleasant classrooms, opportunities for personal and professional development, avenues for social and societal engagements, latest educational technology, research facilities, socio-emotional student support, hostel facilities, co-curricular and extra-curricular enabled vibrant college campus.

The more interesting to know is, that students holding FYUGP degree besides eligible for one year PG will also be empowered to take a direct route towards obtaining a PhD degree in any discipline whether or not studied during the journey of FYUGP in a college.

Thus, such a learner needs not to have Master’s degree or a restricted graduation-based discipline/subject to apply or aspire for a PhD. This obviously marks a giant departure from the traditional prerequisite of a master’s degree for NET eligibility and specific subjects for fulfilment of PhD aspirations of a student. 

Thus, this departure from the norm aimed at to accommodate the diverse academic ambitions of candidates, irrespective of their UG discipline is to strengthen the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach of learning/ research as well as to foster the spirit of independent project work and research among a learner.

Thus, a future learner in higher educational sector will enjoy broader eligibility while enhancing its personal growth, analytical skills, academic interests and career development, by making them more relevant, attractive and competitive in the Indian and Global job market.

(Original full text published in Rising Kashmir May 21, 2024 Srinagar)