The University Grants Commission (UGC) has unveiled new guidelines for students receiving degrees and diplomas.
A committee formed by the UGC to review the existing degree nomination culture has proposed that students be awarded qualifications, such as certificates, diplomas, or degrees, as soon as they have earned the required credits, irrespective of the minimum duration of the program.
In alignment with the National Education Policy 2020, which allows for multiple admissions and exits in higher education, the qualifications that can be awarded based on the National Credit Framework (NCRF) and the Course and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programs (CCFUP) include Graduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas, and Post Graduate Diplomas.
The UGC formed an expert committee to examine the specification of degrees and recommend a new degree nomination culture. The details of the committee’s recommendations have been made available to the public by the UGC.
One significant recommendation is the removal of the “MPhil” degree from the list of specified degrees. Delhi University had already discontinued the MPhil degree starting from the academic year 2022-23.
Furthermore, the committee proposed that a Bachelor of Science in Humanities degree should be awarded if a student completes the full duration of a four-year honors degree program.
The report stated, “A four-year graduate degree program in any discipline as a nominee culture may also be abbreviated as Bachelor of Science.
This nominee culture may be applicable to all subjects, including science, engineering and technology, arts, humanities, social sciences, business administration, management, commerce, etc.”
Henceforth, a degree with Honors will be recognized as BA/B.Com/B.Sc (Hons), and degrees with research will be denoted as BA/B.Com/B.Sc (Hons with Research).
The degree of M.Sc will be awarded for both one-year and two-year programs, covering various subjects.
