University of Mysore (UoM), one of the country’s oldest centres of higher learning, is preparing for implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) from the ensuing academic year.
In its bid to be among the first to announce new courses in tune with the NEP, the University is getting ready to introduce a four-year undergraduate programme in multiple disciplines.
All universities in the State have been told to implement the NEP, 2020 from this year.
Already, the deans and the heads of various academic departments in the UoM are working on the curriculum charter which is expected to be ready by July 15.
Disclosing this to The Hindu , Vice-Chancellor G. Hemantha Kumar said the fundamentals of the multidisciplinary and holistic four-year degree course and how the one-year post-graduation would be like for candidates completing the four-year degree course are being discussed.
Consultations are on with the heads of various departments for designing the curriculum of the four-year programme where the student is allowed to opt for majors and minors as per his or her choice.
In the four-year skill-based course, a student can opt for a major subject – either in arts, science or commerce – and minor subjects besides the languages. “Multiple exit options are available. If the student wishes to exit after one year, he or she would get a certificate and a diploma after completing two years of the course. A degree in a major subject is awarded after finishing three years of the programme and there is a provision to complete PG in one year instead of two years if the student completed the full four-year programme,” the VC explained.
Prof. Kumar said the students will get to take up research projects in the fourth year of the programme with special provision made under the NEP. Under this, the student would be allowed to directly take up a doctoral course for having completed the UG with a research project.
The university will come up with complete details on the courses and the curriculum as per the objectives of NEP in July, he said, adding that a five-year integrated programme with a new framework is also being worked out.
