The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed all universities to immediately overhaul their academic curriculum and align their academic programmes with the provisions in National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

 

In a letter to vice-chancellors of all universities, UGC secretary  Prof Manish R Joshi asked the univetsity heads to ensure that every curricular offered by the universities and their affiliated colleges gets reviewed, revised and readied to upgrade the academic programmes immediately.

 

“The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 strongly emphasises the urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of the curriculum.Its vision is to make education more holistic, flexible and aligned with the demands of the 21st Century… In view of the above you are hereby requested to prioritize this matter and initiate immediate steps to ensure that the curricular of all programmes offered by your univetsity– and its affiliated colleges are thoroughly reviewd, revised and readied for prompt implementation…”, Joshi said in the letter.

 

As recommended in NEP 2020, the UGC asked the universities to ensure that with the overhauling of the curricular there is a paradigm shift from rote memorisation to conceptual understanding, critical thinking, creativity and multidisciplinary learning. The revised curriculum must also aim to reduce content burden, incorporate essential life skills and promote experiential and hands-on learning.

 

“In a world evolving at an unprecedented pace, where conceptual innovations and technological advancements are frequently reimagined and upgraded shortly after their introduction, it is imperative that our education system keeps pace”, the UGC secretary wrote to the VCs.

 

The univetsities should update the curriculum because one of the most impactful strategies for staying ahead in the evolving educational ecosystem is the regular and thoughtful revision of academic curriculum.

 

The UGC encouraged to incorporate short-term skills-based modules, industry-related internships, and apprenticeship-embedded degree programmes into their teaching.

 

According to university teachers and vice-chancellors, despite several directives from the UGC, several states have not shown interest to a number of recommendations in the NEP 2020. For example, many states are yet to replace the old three-year undergraduate courses to four-year programmes.

 

The new UGC letter has been written to the universities to create pressure on them to switch to the new system, a vice-chancellor said.

Opposing the move, Tarun Naskar a former professor of Jadavpur University said :”The letter of UGC Secretary addressed to Vice Chancellors of Indian universities claims that the NEP recommendations like the NCF, NHEQF and similar other circulars for revision of courses, curriculum would create conceptual learning, critical thinking, creativity etc are all vague and full of tall talks. These would rather give birth to blind faith, irrationality and communal mind. AISEC including different other teachers’ and other educationists’ bodies are opposing. Under the pressure of the movement many state governments and universities refuse to implement the NEP.

 

The central government threatened the state governments not to grant money had they not comply with the UGC and government orders. This letter is frantic effort on the part of the central government through the UGC to pressurise the universities to implement the NEP. We oppose this letter as it is against the autonomy of the universities and demand the UGC to withdraw it.”