SOURCE: INDIAN EXPRESS
Graduates can now directly join PhD programmes under new pattern: UGC Chief
Kumar clarified that under the new credit and curriculum framework for undergraduate (UG) courses, varsities can choose between the three and four year programmes. "It is left to the universities," he said.
The University Grants Commission Chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar today that under the new pattern, graduates can directly join PhD programmes. He also said that three-year undergraduate courses will not be discontinued till the four-year programme is fully implemented.
The new credit and curriculum framework for undergraduate (UG) courses was announced earlier this week and it defines Honours degree courses as a four-year programme.
The UGC chief said that under the four-year undergraduate degrees, graduates will not require a Master’s degree to join PhD programmes.
On when the FYUP is expected to be fully implemented, he said that “there is no deadline but we will continue to work with higher education institutions to implement the FYUP as soon as possible” and assured the three-year courses will not be discontinued till the four-year programme is fully implemented.
“Some universities, such as the Delhi University, have already implemented the FYUP. Many other universities are working on implementing it from the 2023 academic session. In a few years, many universities will adopt this. They need to do this to attract the best students to their programmes,” Kumar said.
Counting the benefits of the FYUP, the UGC chief said, “The first advantage is that they do not have to do a Master’s degree to join a PhD programme. They can also take a single or double major to gain a deeper knowledge of a given discipline.” “Since multidisciplinary courses, ability enhancement courses, skill enhancement courses, value-added courses, and internships are embedded in the FYUP, it will enhance the opportunities for students to take up employment or go for higher studies,” he said.