Ignoring TN's objections, UGC mandates credit system in colleges, universities

CHENNAI: The Ministry of Education has instructed all the Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to implement the usage of the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), proposed under National Education Policy - 2020, despite Tamil Nadu’s ardent opposition. The ministry has advised to take steps to enhance the outreach of the scheme as the academic season has just begun.

This system allows students to learn at their convenience within the multiple entry and exit provisions and pick it up again within seven years. However, in its own State-Education Policy (SEP), the Tamil Nadu government asserted that ABC, as proposed by the UGC, will only be implemented in state universities once the system matures with transparency and free course information.

The SEP further mandates that students who join undergraduate programmes should continue and complete three years to get a degree. Discontinuation of the course during the middle of the academic year will not be permitted for reasons like obtaining the certificate/diploma.

However, the online credit accumulation, transfer and redemption is expected to enhance the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) also, Manish R Joshi, University Grants Commission (UGC) secretary said in a circular to all the HEIs.

The UGC official claimed that ABC has made significant progress in the last few months in the number of learners’ registrations and ABC accounts.

He further said that the commission and digilocker were putting lots of effort and hand-holding of institutions to make their experience on the ABC portal. The official said the institutions should take further steps to register for the Digilocker scheme and advise the students to register at the time of admission.