Scheme for Undergraduate Degree Programs

From the 2023-24 Academic Year

The following scheme is based on the Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programmes issued by the University Grants Commission on Dec 12, 2022. The scheme also incorporates concepts and guidelines from the National Education Policy 2020.

Credit distribution for 3-year and 4-year UG programme

*Internship may be extended up to 20 credits (one semester). Any credits above 12 shall be taken from the Major credits

Scope and overview of the scheme

1. It will be followed from the undergraduate batch taking admission in 2023 onwards
2. Each semester shall be 20 calendar weeks and shall have at least 90 working days.
3. Apart from Autumn Semester and Spring Semester, there will be a Summer Term of 4 weeks for
   1. Vocational courses, stand alone or additional to the Major or Minor
   2. Additional internship or field work
   3. Bridge courses
   4. Supplementary learning
4. It is not applicable to the undergraduate degree courses of the Allied Health Sciences Department as those degree programs follow the model curricula issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.
5. For the 2023 academic year, students have the option of choosing a 3-year or 4-year program, except for the Department of Tourism where the existing 4-year BTTM shall continue.
6. For the degrees coming under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021, the stipulated number of hours shall be attained and will be shown in the transcripts. This may be also done for all other degrees.
7. Students have the option of multiple entry-exit after one, two, three or four years of study.
8. UG Certificate: Students who opt to exit after completion of the first year and have secured 40 credits will be awarded a UG certificate if, in addition, they complete one vocational course of 4 credits during the summer of the first year.
9. UG Diploma: Students who opt to exit after completion of the second year and have secured 80 credits will be awarded a UG diploma if, in addition, they complete one vocational course of 4 credits during the summer of the second year. These students are allowed to re-enter within a period of three years and complete the degree programme within a maximum of seven years.
10. 3-year UG Degree: Students who opt to exit after three years and completed 120 credits will be awarded an undergraduate degree 
11. Credits
12. One credit shall contain 15 hours of instruction or 30 hours of designated experiential learning
13. The total credits for a 3-year degree shall be 120
14. The total credits for a 4-year degree shall be 160
15. Other nomenclature
    1. Program: level of study: Dip/UG/PG/Doctoral
    2. Course: Diploma/UG/PG degree
    3. Subject: collection of topics, units and modules listed in the transcript with apportioned credits
    4. Lesson: topic for one lecture/session

Components of the 3-year degree program

1. Major, the discipline of main focus: shall be about 50% of the total credits: 72 credits including internship
2. Minor, provides a broader understanding beyond the Major, including skill-building and vocational learning: 12 credits

The Minors will provide preparation for additional occupation opportunities apart from the major and may be selected by the student based on interest, aptitude and career aspiration. The Minor will contain theory and practicum sessions

1. Foundation, a common curriculum to introduce students to the themes of their undergraduate education, enhance their understanding of India and the community, explore creative expressions, provide early strategies for the planning of their future career, build critical and analytical abilities, promote self-awareness and reflection, and participate in dialogue, collective and community learning, choose a partner state: 8 credits
2. Interdisciplinary, defined as the study of various disciplines to solve a problem. For this the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) will be used: 8 credits
3. Ability enhancement: English. 8 credits
4. Multidisciplinary, courses from other disciplines: 8 credits

Table: Indicative list of minors, foundation, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary subjects

1. Internship is for experiential and applied learning in the Major. The internship context and environment will also provide a critical understanding of India, the community, and moral and professional values. Departments shall offer a minimum of 12 credits. Additional credits may be provided from the Major credits, up to a maximum of 20.
2. Student may take up volunteer work and graduate with a certificate on Volunteerism from the concerned organization/ community. The same shall be reflected in their profile.

Four-year honours degree

1. Two types of 4-year degrees are conducted:
   1. A 4-year honours degree in the Major discipline. The fourth year may include various learning and experiential activities related to the Major. These activities may be flexible and individualised: 40 credits in the 7th & 8th semesters
   2. A 4-year honours with research degree. The fourth year will focus on a faculty-supervised research project of at least 12 credits in the Major discipline. The remaining credits may include various learning and experiential activities related to the Major. These activities may be flexible and individualised: 40 credits in the 7th & 8th semesters

1. Postgraduate education
   1. Scholars who complete a 4-years honours degree or a 4-year honours with research degree are eligible for a one-year Master’s program in the same or applied discipline
   2. Scholars who complete a 4-year honours with research degree are eligible for admission to the PhD

Post-graduate Attributes, Course Structure and Credit Distribution

1. Introduction

With reference to the provisions of the National Education Policy 2020, guidelines and regulations of the University Grants Commission, internal discussions with deans and heads of departments, and feedback from students, the postgraduate program of the university was reviewed and this note has been accordingly prepared. Based on post-graduate attributes of MLCU students, the university will develop and declare a postgraduate course structure with allotment of credits for core subjects, specialization, career stream, internship and general subjects.

The National Education Policy 2020 in section 10.3 states that the vision of higher education will require, in particular, a new conceptual perception/understanding for what constitutes a higher education institution (HEI), i.e., a university or a college. A university will mean a multidisciplinary institution of higher learning that offers undergraduate and graduate programmes, with high quality teaching, research, and community engagement.

It also “proposes the revision and revamping of all aspects of the education structure, including its regulation and governance, to create a new system that is aligned with the aspirational goals of 21st century education, including SDG4, while building upon India’s traditions and value systems” (NEP 2020, p.4).

Section 9.1.3 of the NEP 2020 further states that at the societal level, higher education must enable the development of an enlightened, socially conscious, knowledgeable, and skilled nation that can find and implement robust solutions to its own problems. Higher education must form the basis for knowledge creation and innovation thereby contributing to a growing national economy. The purpose of quality higher education is, therefore, more than the creation of greater opportunities for individual employment. It represents the key to more vibrant, socially engaged, cooperative communities and a happier, cohesive, cultured, productive, innovative, progressive, and prosperous nation.

The commitment to SDG4 thus entails the realization of SDG4.7 that by 2030, “ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development” (United Nations, https://unric.org/en/sdg-4/).  These provisions are further detailed in the postgraduate attributes below.

1. Postgraduate attributes

The postgraduate attributes have been articulated within the context of the NEP 2020, UGC guidelines, the MHRD/UGC NHEQF draft guidelines, and the mission, vision and policies of the university.

The National Education Policy 2020 lays particular emphasis on the development of the creative potential of each individual. It is based on the principle that education must develop not only cognitive capacities - both the ‘foundational capacities ’of literacy and numeracy and ‘higher-order’ cognitive capacities, such as critical thinking and problem solving – but also social, ethical, and emotional capacities and dispositions.

Section 9.1.1 of the NEP 2020 elaborates that given the 21st century requirements, quality higher education must aim to develop good, thoughtful, well-rounded, and creative individuals. It must enable an individual to study one or more specialized areas of interest at a deep level, and also develop character, ethical and Constitutional values, intellectual curiosity, scientific temper, creativity, spirit of service.

The earlier draft of the NEP 2020 described 21st century skills such as “critical thinking, creativity, scientific temper, communication, collaboration, multilingualism, problem solving, ethics, social responsibility, and digital literacy”. In another section it added “problem-solving, critical and creative thinking, ethical and moral reasoning, collaboration and communication and discussion abilities”. In yet another section, 21st century capabilities were listed as “critical thinking, communication, problem solving, creativity, cultural literacy, global outlook, teamwork, ethical reasoning, and social responsibility”.

The NEP also adds that “A quality higher education must enable personal accomplishment and enlightenment, constructive public engagement, and productive contribution to the society. It must prepare students for more meaningful and satisfying lives and work roles and enable economic independence”.

Further Section 11.2 mentions “…creativity and innovation, critical thinking and higher-order thinking capacities, problem-solving abilities, teamwork, communication skills, more in-depth learning and mastery of curricula across fields, increases in social and moral awareness, etc., besides general engagement and enjoyment of learning”.

The National Higher Education Qualifications Framework states the following: “Qualifications that signify completion of the Master’s degree, as per the learning outcomes that are aligned to the Dublin descriptors*[1], are awarded to students who: i) have demonstrated knowledge and understanding that is founded upon and extends and/or enhances that typically associated with the first cycle, and that provides a basis or opportunity for originality in developing and/or applying ideas, often within a research context; ii) can apply their knowledge and understanding, and problem solving abilities in new or unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their field of study; iii) have the ability to integrate knowledge and handle complexity, and formulate judgments with incomplete or limited information, but that include reflecting on social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgments; iv) can communicate their conclusions, and the knowledge and rationale underpinning these, to specialist and non-specialist audiences clearly and unambiguously; v) have the learning skills to allow them to continue to study in a manner that may be largely self-directed or autonomous.

1. Post-graduate course structure and credit distribution

Section 11.5 of the NEP 2020 prescribes imaginative and flexible curricular structures that will enable creative combinations of disciplines for study, and would offer multiple entry and exit points, thus, removing currently prevalent rigid boundaries and creating new possibilities for life-long learning. Graduate-level, master’s and doctoral education in large multidisciplinary universities, while providing rigorous research-based specialization, would also provide opportunities for multidisciplinary work, including in academia, government, and industry.

Thus, two general options of master’s education are envisaged. The first is an in-depth study of a particular discipline, and the second is the pursuit of a multidisciplinary study. Within each of these streams, based on the chosen cluster of postgraduate attributes the curriculum may emphasize research, teaching-learning, community engagement and entrepreneurship. The flexibility of postgraduate education thus even provides for a student to largely individualize his/her postgraduate education based on his/her interests and career aspirations. The revamping of the education structure is reflected in the review, reconceptualization, and reconfiguration of the master’s program as detailed in the scheme below, with effect from batch 2023-24.

Table 1: Post-graduate course structure and credit distribution

The credit distribution for a two-year Master’s degree across four semesters would be as below:

Table 2: Post-graduate credit distribution across 4 semesters

In summary three schemes for master’s degrees are provided:

[1] The Dublin descriptors are described in: http://www.ehea.info/Uploads/Documents/050218_QF_EHEA.pdf)