TV
Almost two years have passed since the implementation of University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines that permit students to pursue two academic programs simultaneously. However, several students continue to face challenges in enrolment.
In its latest notice, UGC has stated, “It has come to notice that many students continue to face challenges in enrolling in two academic programs at the same time, primarily due to Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) insistence on the submission of migration certificates or school leaving certificates for admission.”
The UGC further stated that this requirement limits the students’ ability to secure admission to two programmes and undermines the purpose of the guidelines.
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The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 envisions imaginative and flexible curricular structures to enable creative combinations of disciplines for study that would offer multiple entry and exit points, thus removing current rigid boundaries and creating new possibilities for life-long learning.
With rapid increase in demand for higher education and limited availability of seats in regular streams, several higher education institutions have started a number of programmes in open and distance learning (ODL) mode to meet the aspirations of students.
Allowing students to pursue two academic programmes simultaneously has been examined by the UGC keeping in view the proposals under the NEP which emphases the need to facilitate multiple pathways to learning involving both formal and non-formal education modes.
In its latest notice, the UGC has said, “More than two years have elapsed since the issuance of the guidelines and despite several reminders, some universities are yet to facilitate the implementation of the guidelines.”
UGC has asked the HEIs to create supportive mechanisms through their statutory bodies to ensure compliance with the guidelines for pursuing two academic programs simultaneously.
