For many years, Indian college education held fast to a strict curriculum with set courses, minimal flexibility after earning a degree, and set deadlines. Years were lost when a course was changed. It became a necessity to look into another discipline in which the student was interested casually. Dropping out, even for a brief period of time, resulted in academic exile.
When the University Grants Commission implemented credit flexibility first time through the Choice Based Credit (CBCS), then reinforced it by the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) and NEP (National Education Policy) aligned reforms, that rigidity started to erode. For students, the introduction of credit flexibility has a very personal impact, even though it sounded formal. All of a sudden, education was not limited to a single department, classroom, or even organisation.
However, educational innovations take time to take effect. Early adopters of the credit flexibility of the concept, some universities redesigned their courses and campus structures. Others may take a little more time to implement it.
Why UGC Introduced Credit Flexibility in the First Place?
It is important to fully understand why the University Grants Commission (UGC) was driven to step in at all before figuring out which universities implemented credit flexibility first. Higher education in Indian has long been criticised for emphasising completion over comprehension. Instead of being viewed as changing academic paths, degrees were viewed as straight lines.
The University Grants Commission acknowledged that international universities were already using a modular credit system, which permits students to switch colleges, transfer, stop, and combine courses without facing academic repercussions. As a result, Indian students were obligated to make a single choice when they were 17 or 18 years old.
To carry out the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s vision of a more student-centric, comprehensive, and internationally competitive higher education environment in India, the University Grants Commission (UGC)implemented credit flexibility. Given below are the main reasons why these conceptual changes were introduced:-
| Changes | About |
| Various Entry and Exit Options | By offering various entry and exit points in academic programs, the framework addresses dropout rates and personal and financial constraints. Certifications (such as a certificate after a year, a diploma after two years, a basic degree after three years, and a degree with honours or research after four years) help students to finish their education at a later time without losing the credits they have earned. |
| Student Empowerment and Choice | By allowing students to select courses according to their preferred interests and professional aspirations, the credit flexibility system transitions from a strict, teacher-centred model to a student-centric one. Students can create individualised academic plans and learn at their own speed thanks to this system. |
| Global Cooperation and Mobility | The UGC seeks to raise Indian higher education to international levels by implementing a credit-based system akin to those in North America and Europe. Applications for higher education overseas are made easier as a result of the increased international recognition of Indian degrees and the facilitation of professor and student mobility across institutions. |
| Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Learning | To support a well-rounded education, the conventional divisions between the arts, sciences, and vocational streams are dismantled. By combining different disciplines, such as physics and economics or microbiology and chemistry, students can develop their critical thinking skills and get ready for a variety of professional opportunities. |
| Improved Employability and Skill Enhancement | To bridge the gap between academic requirements and industry demands, the updated curriculum places a strong emphasis on skill-based learning, internships, and hands-on training. This system guarantees that graduates have skills relevant to the sector, which has been demonstrated to improve employability rates. |
| Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) | Students can safely save, redeem credits earned, and transfer from various accredited Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), including online platforms like SWAYAM, thanks to the establishment of the ABC, a digital repository. This makes it possible to switch between institutions and learning modalities (online, offline, and hybrid) with ease. |
The University Grants Commission subtly changed the definition of a college degree when it implemented credit flexibility. Higher education started to resemble a pathway, like
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Branching
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Personal
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Pausable
Instead of just offering a straight tunnel to the students. Early colleges which adopted this system changed the student experiences rather than merely adhering to regulations. As the systems deveops, students main concern is not whether flexibility is available, but rather of their college actually permits them to use it.
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