The Delhi-based University Grants Commission (UGC) has greenlighted and operationalised the Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) with students now allowed the flexibility to switch/transfer to and from all recognised higher education institutions in the country during the course of their degree programmes.

Conceptualised under the National Education Policy 2020, the ABC allows all accredited higher education institutes to maintain a digital repository of credits of students under the ABC, enabling students to switch higher ed institutions, and access to multiple entries and exit points to and from the programme.

Simply put, students can pursue the first year of a degree course in one institute and the second year in another. Credits, which are digitally stored in a repository will be transferred to the institute. Students can also earn these credits through online learning platforms according to the provisions of the NEP.

On January 12, the University Grants Commission wrote a letter to all Central, state and deemed-to-be universities and autonomous colleges in the country, inviting them to register for the ABC. Earlier only higher ed institutions granted A grade from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) of ranked in the Top 100 of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) could register for the ABC.

“It was felt that the universities and autonomous colleges satisfying sub-regulation 2 of regulation 1 and the institutions of national importance as declared by the government of India and specifically empowered by an Act of Parliament to confer or grant degrees, irrespective of their NAAC or NIRF ranking should be able to participate and register in the academic bank of credits. In this regard, the amendments have been notified in the Gazette of India on 28 December 2021,” the UGC communicated.

The UGC also asked higher educational institutions to make prior preparations to get on board the ABC while also educating students about the options available to them

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