SOURCE: THE HINDU BUSINESS LINE
It will be applicable from the academic year 2022-23
onwards
Under-graduate and post-graduate students can now pursue two
simultaneous academic programs, including full time degree courses.
Furthermore, this dual degree programme policy will be
applicable for physical degrees, online degrees and even diploma programmes.
The University Grants Commision Chairman, M Jagadeesh Kumar,
announced that the decision was taken in accordance with the National Education
Policy (NEP). The latest move aims to offer flexibility and personalisation of
higher education. It will even allow multidisciplinary education across
students. “Students can purse the degree/diploma courses from two different
universities or under the same university,” he announced during a virtual
interaction. With this decision, students will be able to pursue two UG or PG
degrees /diplomas together in the physical and physical mode or physical and
online mode or via online and online mode.
Kumar said, top universities of India have been given the
choice to offer online degree courses and “fresh guidelines for the same will
be notified in two weeks”.
The official list of UGC guidelines for pursuing two
simultaneous degrees or academic programmes is expected to be uploaded on the
UGC website soon.
Basic guidelines
As per the UGC’s latest announcement, the dual degree
programmes will allow students to pursue two physical degrees, from two
different universities or institutions at the same time.
However, one condition that has to be kept in mind for is
the time schedule for classes and other academic activities for both degree
programmes do not clash with each other. This means that if a student is
pursuing B.Tech from IIT Delhi in the morning or regular session, he can opt
for a BA in Sanskrit from Delhi University, provided it is offered in the
evening session.
All academic programmes have minimum attendance requirements
for students to be able to take the exams, universities will have to devise the
attendance criteria for these courses. “UGC does not mandate any attendance
requirements and these are the policies of the universities,” Kumar had said.
The admission policy for courses that will be offered for
dual degree programmes, will be decided by the respective universities and
institutions.
In the case of central universities, candidates will have to
appear and qualify in CUET – Common University Entrance Test in order to seek
admission to dual degree programmes. The university will have to frame its own
academic ordinances based on the UGC guidelines on two degrees which will
govern this arrangement.
Credit carry forward
The dual degree program will allow students to carry credits
across degrees if they fulfil the basic requirements. However, when it comes to
degree programmes, candidates will be required to earn and fulfil all credit
requirements as specified by the university guidelines. No concession in credit
requirements will be offered as part of the Dual Degree Programmes.
According to the details shared by the UGC, students are
provided flexibility in choosing the Dual Degree Courses so they can two
degrees either at the undergraduate level or at postgraduate level. So one
cannot pursue one Undergraduate and one Postgraduate degree as part of the
UGC’s Dual Degree Programme.
“The student can choose two different undergraduate courses
or two different postgraduate programmes. If a student is studying only one
undergraduate programme, they will not be eligible for a PG course,” Kumar
clarified during the press conference.