WHY UGC HAS ALLOWED ADMISSIONS TWICE A YEAR, WHAT HAPPENS NOW
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, JUNE 11
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THE UNIVERSITY Grants Commission (UGC) has allowed universities to admit students twice a year in July/August and January/February. The UGC has said biannual admissions will give universities the flexibility to take a decision on their admission cycles based on infrastructure and faculty available. It is not mandatory for universities to adopt the new system.
HANGE
Existing process, change
Students are now admitted once a year, in a single academic session that be- gins in July/August. The UGC's decision will allow universities to admit students in two cycles, in July/August and then in January/February, to undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD programmes.
The new system could allow universi- ties to reflect the admission cycles in some countries that admit students twice a year, and where the courses that are available in these different admission cy- cles may also vary. Universities in the United States, for instance, have 'intakes' in the fall (session that begins in August/ September) and in the spring (session that begins in January).
Reason and beneficiaries
The UGC has already attempted the biannual admission process for open and distance learning, and online pro- grammes, and found that "permitting a second academic session in a year has helped nearly half a million students join their degree programmes without wait- ing for one full academic year".
This, according to UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar, could benefit students who may have missed admissions in the July/August session on account of health issues, delays in board exam results, or personal reasons. With admissions open- ing twice a year, they need not wait for an entire year before they can apply again.
Kumar has said that universities abroad follow a biannual admission sys- tem, and this system in Indian institutions "can enhance their international collab- orations and student exchanges".
He has also said that this system could also help increase the 'gross enrollment
GE
indian
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The new system could help global collaborations, according to UGC chairman M Jagadesh Kumar. File
ratio' (GER). For higher education, GER is the ratio of students enrolled to the pop- ulation of the age group eligible for higher education.
What next for institutions
The decision to open admissions twice a year lies with the universities - their academic and executive councils will have to take the call. It will be up to the universities to work out what pro- grammes they might open up for bian- nual admissions. The availability of infra- structure and faculty will be crucial in deciding to admit students in two admis- sion cycles.
While the UGC has allowed highered- ucation institutions to admit students twice a year from the coming academic year, Delhi University Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh pointed out that admis- sions for the upcoming session have al- ready begun.
Chairman Kumar said: "This a provi- sion that we are providing... It is quite possible that it will not happen immedi- ately. The universities may have to work on their infrastructural requirements, fac- ulty requirements, and then plan it over a period of time."
Singh said the university is open to the idea and may implement it initially for a few programmes before extending it to others.
There is also the question of admissions that are based on entrance exams. Kumar said that it could be "beneficial to students" if they are conducted twice a year.
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