It is reform time in universities

Updated on: Monday, June 15, 2009

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has made the choice-based credit and semester system mandatory for institutions of higher learning in the country.

The commission has directed the Central and State universities to introduce substantive academic and administrative reforms.

In a March 30 letter, UGC Chairman Sukhadeo Thorat asked the vice-chancellors to draw up a road map of reforms with a solid action plan. Prof. Thorat’s directive has come in the wake of the suggestions made by the UGC’s Committee on Academic and Administrative Reforms, headed by A. Gnanam.

Based on the Gnanam committee report, the commission has suggested an action plan to be implemented in a phased manner. When the Central universities have been asked to implement the reforms in two years, all State universities have been given three years.

The UGC has identified five core reform areas: semester system, choice-based credit system, curriculum development, admission procedures and examination reforms.

Prof. Thorat, in his letter, reminded the vice-chancellors of the fact that the UGC’s policy on giving grants under the 11th Plan strategy was directly linked with the implementation of the academic and administrative reforms.

Some universities have launched the reform process, while others have begun discussions. The University of Calicut has made a big leap by introducing some of the major reforms suggested by the UGC. The university is set to launch the choice-based credit and semester system for its undergraduate courses from the new academic year.

The Gnanam committee report has highlighted the drawbacks of the 10-month or annual academic system followed by colleges and the merits of the semester system followed widely by the western countries. According to Prof. Gnanam, the semester system enlarges curricular space, besides encouraging and supporting accelerated learning opportunities. “It also has the ability to accommodate diverse choices that dynamic and motivated students may like to have,” he says.
Coordinated steps

While directing the universities to switch over to the semester system, the UGC has suggested a series of coordinated steps, including taking the academia into confidence and reconfiguration and revision of curricula.

Highlighting the merits of the choice-based credit system, the commission says that it offers enhanced learning opportunities, ability to match students’ scholastic needs and aspirations, inter-institution transferability of students, part-completion of an academic programme in the institution of enrolment and part-completion in a specialised institution, flexibility for working students to complete the programme over an extended period and standardisation and comparability of educational programmes across the country. “The CBCS [choice-based credit system] eminently fits into the emerging socio-economic milieu,” says Prof. Gnanam.

“Aided by modern communication and information technology, the CBCS has a high probability to be operationalised efficiently and effectively — elevating students, institutions and higher education system in the country to newer heights.”

Before implementing the system, the UGC had suggested a thorough review of curricular contents by specifying them and sub-dividing them into units and sub-units and assigning them numerical values-termed credits.

Referring to curriculum development, the UGC says that it not only endows academic programme with quality but also adds to contemporariness and relevance. “Curricular revision should be an ongoing academic activity involving all faculty members,” Prof. Gnanam says.

The UGC has observed that some institutions have not been giving top priority for revision and update of their academic programmes. When professional and technical disciplines undertake regular and vigorous reforms, languages, humanities and other conventional subjects have failed to keep up to date.

The UGC suggests that all professional and postgraduate academic programmes be updated and revised every academic year. And all other courses should be revised in three years. Updates and revision of the curricula should be carried out in terms of current knowledge, national and international developments, and relevance of new ideas, concepts and knowledge to the discipline concerned. The UGC suggests that faculty members depend on a wide variety of sources, including books and the Internet, for updates. The UGC-sponsored e-resources, such as Inflibnet and Infonet, should be used extensively, it says. The UGC has also emphasised the need for a merit-based admission process. “It is the first and most critical step to ensure access, inclusion, equity and quality,” says Prof. Gnanam.

“Admissions can no longer be left to ‘well-meaning’ intentions and ad hoc decisions. They ought to have objective bases and transparent procedures,” the commission says.

The UGC has recommended that each institution publicise its academic calendar highlighting the number of seats, required qualifications and important dates.

Prof. Gnanam has observed that “examination only at the end of academic session insulates students from the quest of knowledge, the excitement of discovery and joy of learning. Often, the annual examination, along with marks, percentages and divisions, leads to insensitive cramming up of superficial information.”

The UGC, however, does not suggest an abrupt shift to internal evaluation. “It may be more prudent that the assessment be carried out through a combination of internal and external evaluation,” says Prof. Gnanam.

The UGC suggests continuous internal evaluation as well as end-of-semester external evaluation. According to the UGC, internal weightage of marks can range from 25 to 40 per cent.

Another major reform suggested by the UGC is to adopt the grading system in keeping with the global trend.

The UGC says giving cumulative grade point score will place students into overlapping broad bands. Kannur University was the first in Kerala to introduce grading.

The University of Calicut followed suit, but by introducing the choice-based credit and semester system.

Within the next three years, all colleges in Kerala will go the semester way.

The hindu

It is reform time in universities

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