UGC set to introduce new rules to overhaul higher education

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has introduced a draft for new regulations aimed at overhauling undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) degree frameworks in India. The UGC (Minimum Standards of Instruction for the Grant of Undergraduate Degree and Postgraduate Degree) Regulations, 2024, aims to create a flexible, multidisciplinary, and inclusive academic structures to transform higher education.

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The UGC has proposed to remove the traditional discipline-specific eligibility criteria for UG and PG admissions. The draft further suggests the introduction of biannual admissions; multiple entry and exit; recognition of prior learning; and the opportunity for students to pursue two UG/PG programmes simultaneously.

M Jagadesh Kumar, UGC Chairperson, stated that the regulation would allow students to earn 50 per cent of their credits in their chosen major discipline, with the rest allocated to skill development, apprenticeships, or interdisciplinary courses. Additional provisions include flexible degree durations and the introduction of Accelerated Degree Programmes and Extended Degree Programmes for UG students.