Nationwide expansion of four-year undergraduate programme for 300 universities

Over 300 universities across the country will have the option to implement the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) starting from the upcoming academic session. The implementation of FYUP will not be mandatory, as students will still have the choice to pursue either the FYUP or the three-year undergraduate programme.

As per the University Grants Commission (UGC), students opting for the FYUP will be awarded a four-year undergraduate ‘UG Honours’ degree with research specialization. Currently, FYUP has been introduced in approximately 150 universities across the country in the ongoing 2023-24 session. According to UGC Chairman Professor M. Jagadish Kumar, this number is expected to double in the next session.

During the commencement of the academic session 2023-24, 105 universities throughout the country had implemented the four-year undergraduate courses. These universities include 19 central universities, 24 state-level universities, 44 deemed universities, and 18 private universities. Prominent institutions such as Delhi University, Aligarh Muslim University, Jammu Central University, Visva Bharati University, Rashtriya Sanskrit University, and Maulana Azad National Urdu University were among those universities. The number of universities implementing FYUP has now risen to 150.

Under the framework of FYUP, UGC has provided students with the flexibility to choose between a three-year undergraduate degree or a four-year Honours degree, aligning with the provisions of the National Education Policy (NEP).

According to the UGC Chairman, students can obtain the three-year UG degree upon completing 120 credits, while the FYUP Honours degree requires completion of 160 credits within four years. Students aspiring to pursue research specialization will be required to undertake a research project during the four-year undergraduate course, leading to an Honours degree with research specialization.

Experts believe that the revised draft of the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) will benefit students aspiring to pursue higher education abroad. The popularity among Indian students for studying overseas continues to grow annually. In the previous year until November, more than 600,000 Indian students pursued higher education abroad, compared to 444,000 in 2021.

Data reveals that the top five countries preferred Indian students for studying abroad are Canada, Germany, Australia, the United States, and Italy. In accordance with the new UGC draft, undergraduate ‘Honours’ degrees will now be awarded after the completion of four years instead of three.

UGC claims that the draft curriculum and credit framework of FYUP adhere to international standards. This international equivalency in education levels will provide Indian students with enhanced opportunities for higher education in American and Western universities.

However, some educators have expressed disagreement with this notion. Distinguished educationist CS Kandpal stated, “FYUP will benefit students interested in securing admissions in renowned American universities. Nevertheless, it is essential to incorporate skill development within the program to enhance employability. These skills will also prove valuable for students studying abroad and may include communication skills, adaptability, proficiency in foreign languages, and self-awareness.”

He further added, “The primary objective was to include a greater number of students within the three-year program in the country. FYUP acts as an extension of the three-year degree program. Similar to schools, where students attend classes, take notes, and sit for exams, they receive grades based on their performance. This type of education fails to adequately prepare students for pursuing higher education as well as establishing careers in prestigious foreign universities since their sole focus is on gaining admission to a foreign university. Institutions planning to introduce FYUP should consider this aspect.”

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