Page 14 - EducationWorld May 2022

Education News

DELHI will acquire credits if she completes
Dual degrees green light one or more years. Acquiring credits

— certificates and diplomas — with-
out completion of a full degree pro-
gramme is endorsed by NEP 2020
which provides for multiple entry
and exit options. Self-evidently, a
dual degree student will be better
rounded and has more time to decide
which degree programme is more
suitable. And students awarded two
degrees have a career fallback option.
Hitherto, undergrads signed up
for additional part-time or online
professional courses to improve their
employability. But formal regulatory
approval for acquiring dual degree
qualifications is a better option even
though pursuing two degree pro-
grammes simultaneously is certain
to test students’ commitment and
University students in Delhi: multiple entry and exit options. Inset: Jagadesh Kumar stamina. Prof. Dr. Rama (only one
name), principal of Hansraj College,
A class XI was one of the big mistakes Delhi, believes that the number of
LONG-STANDING DEMAND OF
undergrads who will sign up for dual
serious scholars intent upon
of Indian education. This aberra-
acquiring multidisciplinary
rangan Committee (2018), which
small. “There won’t be many takers
qualifications and skills has finally tion was corrected by the Kasturi- degree programmes is likely to be
been conceded. On April 13, the Uni- recommended four-year degree as attending classes, learning and
versity Grants Commission (UGC), programmes with the first two years keeping ahead of homework, study-
the apex-level regulator of Indian dedicated to the study of liberal arts ing for tests, and getting high grades
higher education, issued a circular subjects. Greenlighting dual degrees requires extraordinary will power
to universities permitting pursuance is a further step in that direction. and stamina,” she says.
of two degrees simultaneously in un- “As announced in the new NEP Although UGC’s green light
dergraduate as well as postgraduate 2020 and in order to allow students for two degrees over four years of
education (barring Ph D) by students to acquire multiple skills, UGC is on-campus (physical mode) study
from this academic year. Simultane- allowing a candidate to pursue two has been generally welcomed for
ously, the commission released a set degree programmes in physical providing students inter and mul-
of guidelines for universities to fol- mode simultaneously. The idea is to tidisciplinary study options, some
low while implementing this major provide as much flexibility as pos- academics warn against students
“technical reform” that has been in sible to students. These guidelines falling between two stools and
the works for several years. are part of NEP 2020 and are aimed graduating with insufficient depth
Under previous UGC guidelines, to customise and personalise educa- in both disciplines. “While a double
a scholar couldn’t sign up for two tion, even allow multidisciplinary major four-year degree programme
degree programmes simultaneously. education across various domains. It is well-accepted, students graduating
A degree programme could only be is a great opportunity for students to with two degrees in different streams
supplemented by a ODL (open and expand their skills,” Prof. M. Jaga- within four years is not a good idea
distance learning)/online diploma desh Kumar, UGC chairman, told a because of the danger of insufficient
programme delivered by higher edu- press conference. depth. UGC would be well-advised to
cation institutions (HEIs) recognised Permitting higher ed students to mandate five years for the award of
by UGC, and specifically authorised pursue two degree programmes — dual degree honours programmes,”
to provide remote learning pro- quite common in the US — makes says Dr. A.K. Shiva Kumar, an
grammes. sense inasmuch as it provides for alum of Delhi and Harvard universi-
According to some educators, too- a student to drop out of one pro- ties and visiting economics professor
early streaming of students into arts, gramme at any stage if she becomes at Ashoka and Harvard universities.
science and commerce disciplines in disenchanted with it. Even so, she Autar Nehru (Delhi)

14 EDUCATIONWORLD MAY 2022