UGC stipulates format for degree programmes

Days after forcing Delhi University to roll back a four-year undergraduate programme, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has notified nomenclatures and duration of degree programmes, making it clear to varsities and other institutions that any deviation from the prescribed format would lead to action against them.

In a Gazette notification, the commission on Friday noted that many universities and other higher educational institutions were offering programmes which were “neither conventional nor reflective of a real innovation in knowledge”, asking them to immediately “restructure or change” them into the format prescribed by it.

The higher education regulator notified that general undergraduate honours or general degree programmes, such as BA, BSc and BCom should be of three years’ duration, MPhil of one to one-and-a-half years and doctoral two years.

“No universities shall introduce any new nomenclature of degrees unless there is a very strong and genuine reason. Should a university intend to introduce a new nomenclature, it shall approach the UGC for its specifications at least six months prior to starting the degree programme,” the commission said.

Programmes like Bachelor of Technology (B Tech), Bachelor of Engineering (BE), Bachelor of Planning (B Plan), Bachelor of Design (BDes), Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM), Bachelor of Fine Arts, and Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) should be of four years’ duration.

“Many universities and higher educational institutions are offering programmes with nomenclature like BJMC, B Litt, BL, BBS/BBM/BBE, MFM/MFC. They will have to be restructured or changed into BA (Journalism and Mass Communication), BA (literature), LLB (Bachelor of Law), BBA/B Com/ BCom Honours, MBA (financial management). These are some examples,” a UGC official said.

The guiding principle is that degrees should be specified in generic terms and the nomenclature should be such that they are generally recognised, globally acknowledged, widely accepted and indicative of their level and the broad subject, discipline, knowledge, the commission said in its notification.

On dual degree programmes, the higher education regulator made it clear that varsities should introduce them “judiciously and with caution”.

“A dual degree programme combines more than one subject, mostly in a horizontal spread, whereas an integrated programme is progressive and cumulative. The academic philosophy or rationale behind offering such integrated programmes should not be for economising on course requirements or award of double degrees in a fast track,” it said.