NEP 2020: 3-Year vs 4-Year Bachelor’s Degree, 1-Year Master’s Course, Exit Option, Multidisciplinary Education

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (Ministry of Education) has formulated the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which is set to bring drastic changes in the education system of the country. The education system in India is going to be revamped after 34 years. Flexible degree options, subject combinations, unique exit options for various courses, etc. are the new changes that are going to be implemented in higher education. While the NEP 2020 did not make four-year degree courses mandatory, these courses will be preferable options for students who wish to gain a degree in ‘Research’. In this article, we have explained everything with regard to 4-year degree programmes, flexible exit options, and multidisciplinary education.

In NEP 2020, it is expected that it will be possible to create a multidisciplinary education that aims to develop the social, physical, intellectual, emotional, and moral capacities of human beings in an integrated manner. With a flexible curriculum, it is easy to facilitate creative combinations of various disciplines. Candidates will be able to choose from languages and at the same time fields such as Applied Sciences, Mathematics, and Business Studies. This aims at developing critical thinking, versatility, adaptability, problem-solving, flexibility, and analytical and communication skills in the learners. The opportunities for doing research are enhanced and improved through a holistic and multidisciplinary approach.

Goals of NEP 2020

The National Education Policy 2020 is an elaborate scheme that aims to bring significant changes to the Indian education system over time. These changes are expected to improve the quality of education as well as other aspects of the education system in a holistic manner. However, in order to understand how the NEP 2020 will bring about these changes, first we must take a look at the principles and goals of NEP 2020 mentioned below:

• Recognition of Each Student’s Uniqueness: One of the primary goals of NEP 2020 is to foster, identify, and enhance each student’s unique capabilities and help them understand the same in a comprehensive manner. The aim is also to sensitize teachers and parents towards promoting each student’s academic and non-academic development.

• Promotion of Foundational Literacy: A very high priority goal of the NEP 2020 is to ensure that every student has strong foundational literacy and numeracy skills by Grade 3 of their education.

• Increasing Educational Flexibility: The changes brought about by this policy will enable learners to choose their own learning trajectories and thereby choose their paths in life according to their talents and interests without being limited to their academic background.

• Bridging the Gap Between Disciplines: As we know in the Indian education system, there is a huge gap between disciplines like Arts, Science, and Commerce. NEP 2020 aims to eliminate these hard separations to avoid harmful hierarchies and silos in education.

• Holistic Development Through Education: Students will receive multidisciplinary and holistic education in their formative years to ensure the unity and integrity of all knowledge.

• Emphasis on Conceptual Learning, Critical Thinking & Creativity: Students will be encouraged to develop their critical thinking and creative abilities through the curriculum, which will ensure conceptual learning and retention of knowledge.

• Promotion of Ethical & Human Values: Apart from pure academic development, values like empathy, respect for others, cleanliness, democratic spirit, scientific temper, responsibility, equality, and justice will be the focus of foundational education.

• Promotion of Multilingualism: More emphasis and recognition will be given to different languages to ensure the cultural significance of these languages is preserved.

• Promotion of Life Skills: In addition to academic excellence, communication skills, teamwork, and interpersonal skills will also be developed.

• Focus on Formative Assessments: A shift from summative assessment to formative types of assessment will be encouraged to promote the current educational culture.

• Extensive Use of Technology: The use of technology in teaching and learning, and removing language barriers will be promoted across educational sectors and areas.

• Consistency in Curriculum: The curriculum across different levels of education, from early childhood care to higher education will have a progressive growth and there will be synergy in the curriculums.

• Enhancement of Teaching Staff & Faculty: Enhancement of academic structure will be complemented by enhancement of teaching faculty through their recruitment, continuous professional development, positive working environments, and service conditions.

• Simple & Strict Regulatory Framework: A light but tight regulatory framework consisting of adults and reviews to ensure integrity, transparency, and resource efficiency of the educational system will be incorporated.

NEP 2020: Holistic and Multidisciplinary Education

According to NEP 2020, certain aspects of traditional education must be brought back because of their relevancy in 21st-century education. Long ago, universities such as Takshashila and Nalanda played a vital role in promoting holistic and multidisciplinary education.  The education is a combination of knowledge of 64 arts.

64 Arts:

According to NEP 2020, the 64 arts not only include subjects such as singing and painting but –

Scientific Fields such as Mathematics and Chemistry
Vocational Fields such as Carpentry and Clothes-Making
Professional Fields such as Engineering and Medicine
Soft Skills such as Communication, Discussion, and Debate

All the above subjects have an Indian origin and the same shall be considered as ‘Arts’. In today's time, the combination of these Arts is termed as Liberal Arts, which means a liberal notion of arts.

Integrating Arts with STEM

NEP 2020 aims for the assessments of educational approaches in the UG education where the Arts stream shall be integrated with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Such practice has always been successful, and increases creativity and innovation, problem-solving abilities, higher-order thinking skills, communication skills, teamwork, social and moral awareness, in-depth learning.

Imaginative and Flexible Curricular Structure

NEP aims to promote an imaginative and flexible curricular structure that will enable creative combinations of disciplines of study. Through this method, students will have no restrictions on entry and exit options. The universities and colleges will introduce interesting course options to students apart from mandatory specialization in a subject. Through this method, the institutes will have autonomy in framing curricula.

The flexible and innovative curricula of Higher Education Institutes include –

Credit-Based Courses	Projects in the Areas of Community Engagement & Service
Environmental Education	Value-Based Education

New Departments to be Established in HEIs:

The Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) will be given the flexibility to set up separate departments in –

Languages	Literature
Philosophy	Music
Indology	Art
Dance	Theatre
Mathematics	Education
Statistics	Pure & Applied Sciences
Sociology	Economics
Sports	Translation

The institutes can award credits to these subjects in the Bachelor’s degree programmes. The institutes can also offer courses under these departments in ODL (Open & Distance Learning) mode.

Internships & Research Internships

As a part of holistic education, students pursuing various courses at HEIs will be provided internship opportunities in local business/ industry, artists, craft persons etc. Students will also have an option to take up research internships with faculty and researchers of the respective HEI. This activity will not only improve students’ practical side of learning but also improve their employability.

NEP 2020: 3 Year-vs 4-Year Bachelor’s Degree

According to NEP 2020, the structure and length of degree programmes shall be adjusted to promote holistic and multidisciplinary education. The detailed comparison of three-year vs four-year Bachelor’s degree can be checked below.

Aspect	Before NEP 2020 (3-Year Degree)	3-Year Degree (After NEP 2020)	4-Year Degree (After NEP 2020)
Exit Option	Not Available (Available only for five-year Integrated Courses)	Available after 1st year, Second-Year	Available after 1st, 2nd and 3rd year
Award of Degree	Mandatory to complete the full duration of the programme	Candidates who wish to exit after the 1st year will be awarded a Certificate in the field of study Candidates who wish to exit after the 2nd year will be awarded a Diploma in the field of study Candidates who complete the three-years course will be awarded a degree.	Candidates who wish to continue after the 3rd year can specialize in a different field apart from the mandatory major or minor. Exit options will be applicable at par with three-year degree courses.
Scope of Research	Minimal	Candidates who do not wish to continue with 4th year will have to complete the research project in the 2nd-year of Master’s programme (applicable only for those students who opt for Master’s).	Candidates who complete 4-year degree courses will also get ‘Degree with Research’ if he/ she completes rigorous research specified by the Higher Education institute.

Also Read:IGNOU PhD Admission 2024

NEP 2020: Revised Structure for Master’s Course

The NEP 2020 will also revise the structure for the Master’s course. The details with regard to the same can be checked below –

Type of Course	Eligibility	Course Details
Type 1 – 2-Year Master’s Course	Candidates who have completed a three-year Bachelor’s degree are eligible	The second year of the course will be devoted to the research project and it is mandatory to complete the same.
Type 2 – 1-Year Master’s Degree Course	Candidates who have completed 4-year Bachelor’s degree programme with Research	Research is not mandatory for a 1-year course, as students already complete their research project in a four-year Bachelor’s degree.
Type 3 – 5-Year Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s Programme	To be Updated.	To be Updated

Revised Eligibility Criteria for Ph.D

NEP 2020 will also revise the eligibility criteria for Ph.D. programmes. Candidates who have completed 4-years Bachelor’s degree with Research are eligible to take up Ph.D. Candidates who have completed 2-year Master’s course can also take up Ph.D. M.Phil course has been discontinued.

Establishment of MERUs

NEP 2020 will give scope for the establishment of MERUs (Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities). These universities will offer holistic and multidisciplinary education at par with IITs and IIMs. These institutes will maintain the highest global standards.

These are some of the major changes that will be implemented in the higher education system of the country as per the National Education Policy 2020. The above explanation has been made after making a detailed analysis of NEP 2020.

Also Read:PhD Admission in India 2024

Multiple Entry and Exit Option

An individual must have flexible learning as it is important to choose one’s academic track leading to the award of a certificate, diploma and degree. The undergraduate degree should be of either a 3 or 4-year duration, with multiple entry and exit options within this period, with appropriate certifications. Like for example, a certificate will be issued after completing one year in a discipline or field which includes vocational and professional areas or a diploma degree after studying for two years or a bachelor’s degree after a 3-year course. The 4-year multidisciplinary bachelor’s programme, however, is the preferred option since it allows the opportunity to experience the full range of multidisciplinary education in addition to a focus on major and minor subjects according to the student’s preference. The 4-year course may also lead to a degree in Research if the student completes a rigorous research project in the major area(s) of study as specified by the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). 

For the Master’s programmes, the HEI will have the flexibility to offer different designs, such as: 

• A 2-year course with the second year dedicated entirely to research for those who have completed the three-year bachelor’s degree. 
• A 1-year master’s course for students who are completing a 4-year bachelor’s programme with Research.
• An integrated 5-year bachelor’s/ master’s course with an option to exit at the end of the third year with a bachelor’s degree, with an entry to a master’s course in another HEI. 

The objectives of the proposed multiple entry and exit option are:

• Remove strict boundaries and promote new possibilities for students. 
• Shorten the dropout rate and improve Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER).
• Offer creative combinations of fields of study that would allow multiple entry and exit points. 
• The students should be offered flexibility in curriculum and novel course options in addition to discipline-specific specialisations. 
• Offer different designs of the master’s course. 
• Enable encashing credits earned when the learner resumes his/ her course of study.
• Allow credit accumulation and transfer along with the provision of evaluation and validation of non-formal and informal learning for the award of a degree and encourage lifelong learning.

Other Key Areas of Focus Under NEP 2020

Apart from the areas mentioned above, the NEP 2020 will also focus on other areas of educational development. These areas are also important sectors of the Indian education system and must be focused on to achieve a holistic upliftment of the system as a whole. Take a look at the other areas of focus under NEP 2020 mentioned below:

Professional Education: Professional Education is an integral part of the overall higher education system and therefore the NEP 2020 will aim to organically evolve all institutions offering either professional or general education into institutions/clusters offering both seamlessly, and in an integrated manner by 2030. The aim is to prepare professionals for the ethics and importance of public purpose.

Adult Education and Lifelong Learning: Every citizen has the fundamental right to acquire an education, become foundationally literate, and be able to support themselves. In light of this, strong and creative government initiatives for adult education will be implemented as soon as possible to hasten the achievement of the crucial goal of 100% literacy, particularly those that support community involvement and the seamless and advantageous integration of technology.

Promotion of Indian Languages, Arts, and Culture: India is a cultural treasure trove, with thousands of years of development represented in art, literature, rituals, traditions, language expressions, artifacts, heritage sites, and more. Sadly, India has lost around 220 languages in the last 50 years alone due to a lack of attention and care given to these languages. To prevent this, there should be a constant supply of excellent print and learning resources in various languages, such as workbooks, plays, poems, novels, periodicals, and textbooks.

Technology Use and Integration: It is inevitable that technology will have an impact on education in a variety of ways given the rapid pace of technological advancement, only some of which are currently foreseeable. Technology will be used and integrated to enhance many facets of education; however, this will only happen if the interventions are thoroughly and openly assessed in pertinent settings prior to being expanded. The National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), an independent organisation, will be established to offer a forum for the unrestricted sharing of ideas on how to use technology to improve teaching, learning, evaluation, planning, administration, and other areas in both higher education and the classroom.

Online and Digital Education: Due to the current increase in pandemics and epidemics, we must be prepared with high-quality other forms of education whenever and wherever traditional, in-person learning environments are not feasible. NEP 2020 has recommended initiatives like pilot studies for online education, development of digital infrastructure, appropriate and extension of online teaching platforms, etc., given the emergence of digital technologies and the growing importance of leveraging technology for teaching-learning at all levels from school to higher education.

Hopefully, this article was helpful to students about the National Education Policy 2020. Take a look at the articles mentioned below to know more!

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