Mixed reactions to UGC bi-annual admissions plan
UGC decision to allow bi-annual admissions in regular mode from 2024-25 has mixed reactions in Delhi. Concerns raised on infrastructure & guidelines.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) decision to allow higher education institutions to admit students twice in a year in regular mode from the 2024-25 academic session has garnered mixed reactions in the Capital. Universities in the Capital have welcomed the move, but they expressed concern that the existing academic structure is not suited to support such an admission arrangement.
Currently, universities and colleges admit students annually — in July-August — in regular mode, which means that the academic session of all higher education institutions begins in July-August and ends in May-June. However, the UGC decision — taken on May 5 but announced on Tuesday — will now allow all higher education institutions to admit students twice a year: once in January-February, and once in July-August.
In the wake of the UGC announcement, officials at some Delhi varsities expressed concern that no clear guidelines are in place for this process to start.
“We are dependent on the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), which is conducted around May. UGC has not given any clear guidelines on whether the January admission cycle will happen through CUET or through entrance exams,” a DU official said on condition of anonymity.
Addressing such concerns, UGC chairman M Jagadesh Kumar said, “It is up to the universities to decide their admission process.”
DU dean (academic activities) Kongbrailatpam Ratnabali said the university will have to follow up with discussions on the same.
“Currently, we have two cycles of admissions for PhD students, based on the National Eligibility Test (NET) and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) exam. For undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, we have only one admission cycle which takes place around June,” Ratnabali said.
Amity University vice chancellor Balvinder Shukla welcomed the initiative but expressed concerns over whether Indian institutions have appropriate infrastructure to support two cycles of admission. “There are a lot of things to consider before jumping into a decision. Moreover, school academic sessions and the beginning of college admissions are aligned in a certain way. There is a possibility that applications during the January cycle will be very low,” Shukla said.
Officials from Jamia Millia Islamia as well as Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) said they will take up the matter in their upcoming academic council meetings.
“This might be an excellent opportunity for students, universities as well as industries who recruit graduates from our colleges. Implementation of course needs meticulous planning but this multiple entry points into the academic cycle is in sync with the National Education Policy (NEP) and will only bring us closer to international standards,” (GGSIPU) vice-chancellor Mahesh Verma said.
Last year, UGC had allowed bi-annual admission to students in open and distance learning as well as online modes.
The UGC chairman said last year’s decision helped nearly half a million students join their degree programmes without waiting for one full academic year, which is why the decision of allowing implementation of the same for regular mode was taken. “The decision is aimed at adopting what universities worldwide already follow, which gives HEIs an opportunity to enhance international collaborations. As a result, our global competitiveness will improve, and we will align with the global educational standards,” Kumar said.