NEP fails 1st test: Affiliated colleges slam varsity for chaotic rollout

The first-semester results under the New Education Policy (NEP) have exposed serious flaws in its implementation at Panjab University-affiliated colleges, triggering widespread criticism. Academicians, students and parents have demanded an urgent policy revamp, arguing that inadequate stakeholder feedback had led to a chaotic rollout.

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The general pass percentage did not exceed 15-20 per cent in several colleges and most students failed in multiple subjects.

During a post-result online meeting, college principals expressed grave concerns over the rushed and poorly planned implementation of the policy. They acknowledged that the affiliated colleges were barely managing to adjust to the changes, only to be destabilised further by the university’s approach. Frustrated by the disjointed execution, they decided to escalate their grievances to university officials.

Disgruntled students voiced their frustration over what they called “sheer injustice.” “We were blindly pushed into an entirely new system and left struggling to navigate it alone. The delayed results robbed us of the chance to reflect and improve our academic strategies. With so many subject options, we ended up as jack-of-all-trades but masters of none,” they complained.

Nodal officers responsible for implementing the NEP criticised the university’s indecisiveness and last-minute modifications. “Colleges struggled to cope with the constant revisions, which often came at the eleventh hour. As teachers, we couldn’t guide students effectively because the policy was just as unfamiliar to us. Even now, the evaluation criteria remains unclear,” shared a faculty member from a city college.

Dr Sandeep Sawhney, Principal, Govind National College, Narangwal, condemned the university for the haphazard implementation of the NEP implementation, calling it “ill-conceived and half-baked.” He warned that political motives had overshadowed practical academic concerns, jeopardising students’ careers. “With a general pass percentage of just 15-20 per cent and students failing in multiple subjects, many will be forced to abandon their degrees midway. This crisis will financially cripple colleges and leave students academically adrift,” he cautioned.

Dr KK Sharma, Principal of AS College, Khanna, urged an urgent reassessment of the new curriculum and assessment framework. “The disappointing BA first-semester results show a clear disconnect between the syllabus and students’ learning capacity. The introduction of Discipline-Specific Courses (DSCs), Skill Enhancement Courses (SECs), Value-Added Courses (VACs) and Ability Enhancement Courses (AECs) has confused students rather than empowering them,” he explained.

Dr Sarvjeet Brar, Principal, Guru Nanak National College, Doraha, called for uniformity in passing marks. “NEP papers require a 40 per cent score to pass, while non-NEP papers have a 35 per cent threshold. This discrepancy confuses both students and evaluators. The passing percentage for the NEP courses should be lowered to align with existing norms,” he suggested.

Dr Ajit Kaur, Principal of Ramgarhia Girls College, Ludhiana, proposed waiving the requirement for students to secure 50 per cent of first-year credits to progress to the third semester—at least for the initial three years of implementation. “A phased transition would allow students and faculty to adapt more smoothly,” she explained.

Dr Tejinder Kaur Dhaliwal, Chairman of PSEB, highlighted severe infrastructural and staff shortages at colleges, arguing that many institutions were unprepared for the NEP’s expansive academic framework. “Students fresh out of senior secondary schools are being burdened with transcription and linguistics—subjects that are usually studied at the postgraduate level. The university must rethink its approach and take corrective action,” she advised.

A former principal, SS Sangha, recommended that Skill Enhancement, Value-Added and Multidisciplinary courses be assessed practically through viva voce examinations, conducted at colleges by a panel of internal and external examiners.

With mounting concerns from all stakeholders, PU-affiliated colleges are pushing for an urgent review of the NEP’s rollout to prevent lasting damage to students and institutions.

PU Controller of Examinations Dr Jagat Bhushan was preoccupied with an engagement when contacted.