Bihar Government expresses inability to implement four-year graduation programme as per the NEP 2020

The Mahagathbandhan Government in Bihar, in a letter to the OSD, Governor-cum-chancellor’s Secretariat Patna, Balendra Shukla, has categorically expressed its inability to implement the four-year programme of B.A, B.SC, B.Com (Honours) as per the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

While replying to the letter issued by the honourable Chancellor about the ordinance and regulation for the Bachelor of Arts/Science/Commerce (Honours) 4 years programme under Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) as per the UGC regulation, the additional chief secretary, Education Department Government of Bihar, K K Pathak has urged that the capacity of the universities to conduct a new programme should be seen in totality, particularly in terms of their ability to conduct and successfully complete the on-going programmes.

Further, while expressing the view of the State Government, the additional chief secretary has said that “the Universities of the State currently do not have the capacity in terms of support staffs, faculty, classroom infrastructure to take up any new programme.” The additional secretary further has highlighted that most of the State’s universities are behind in the academic calendar, and the delay in 3 years graduation programme extends from months to a year while the post-graduation programme is even more delayed.

He further has expressed that the State Government is doing everything it can to ensure that the universities become up to date with respect to their academic calendar within the next few months and to push the universities to fall in line with their academic calendar, the State Government will soon issue an examination schedule vide an official Gazette.

“It may further be added that the universities have to adhere to the Gazette notification and the timelines mentioned therein. The Gazette notification shall contain all the existing on-going graduate programmes, postgraduate programmes, vocational courses and other programmes being conducted by the universities. Thus the State Government expects all the universities to strictly adhere to the Gazette notification likely to be issued shortly and not to conduct any examination not duly notified by the State Government”, read the letter further.

The additional chief secretary further, while citing the above-mentioned circumstances, has expressed the State Government’s inability to implement the 4-year graduation programme and said that “the State Government is of the view that the universities should first complete the on-going courses, particularly the delayed one. Thus the State Government does not support the afore-mentioned four-year programme.”

Let us tell you that the State Government letter citing their inability to implement four-year graduation programme has been issued after the honourable governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar the Chancellor of the State varsities, had chaired a high-level meeting earlier in April this year in which it was decided that the State will be implementing the new graduation programme from the upcoming session.

In the high-level meeting headed by the governor with the vice-chancellors of different universities and senior officials of the State’s Education Department on April 13, it was agreed upon that the four-year graduation programme under the CBSC will be implemented from the upcoming academic session of 2023 – 2027.

Let us recall that the Narendra Modi-led cabinet had launched the National Education Policy 2020 by replacing the National Education Policy of 1986 in July 2020 with a view to redefine India’s education system and introduce a fresh perspective for seamless career growth for the students.

The striking recommendation made by the NEP to all the universities is that they should retain the usual three-year honours degree but integrate a fourth year wherein the students will be able to conduct research.

One of the striking features of these four-year courses is the option to exit at the end of every academic year, allowing the students to earn a certificate, diploma, degree and honours after successfully clearing 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th semesters. The newly enacted policy also allows the students to make an exit after appearing for two consecutive semester examinations.