Students from Bengal would have suffered had the state government not decided to introduce the four-year undergraduate programme from the 2023-24 academic year, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday.
“If other states opt for the four-year undergraduate programme and we don’t, our students will lag behind in competition,” the chief minister said while speaking at a programme to felicitate toppers in the Class X and XII board exams.
On Wednesday, the state education department had announced that the four-year undergraduate programme would be rolled out in the 2023-24 academic year, replacing the three-year one, in compliance with the National Curriculum and Credit Framework (NCCF) recommended by the UGC.
Mamata said the four-year undergraduate programme was an “advantage” considering that the master’s course could be completed in a year, instead of two years as is the practice now.
“Those who have passed the plus-II board exams must know that from the 2023-24 academic year, completing graduation with an honours degree will take four years. Earlier, it was three years. We have changed the system. Those who will graduate in the pass course will need three years. But those who will graduate with an honours degree will need four years. The UGC has made these rules. The central government has given this directive,” Mamata said.
“But there is one advantage. You can do the master’s in one year, instead of two years.”
An official in the education department said a student in a four-year programme can exit the course after three years. “Students who exit after three years can do a two-year master’s course,” he said.
Students who complete four years and graduate with honours will be eligible for a one-year master’s course.
Students who complete four years with honours and research can directly enrol in a PhD programme.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 advocates a four-year undergraduate programme.
A senior official in the education department said the interest of the students prompted the government to opt for the four-year undergraduate programme.
“Many states have introduced the programme. Delhi University has implemented the four-year programme. Had the Bengal government stuck to the three-year course, undergraduate aspirants could have left the state in large numbers to study elsewhere,” the official said.
“There were also fears that the UGC could have declared the three-year degree invalid. That could have stopped funding. Factoring in all these concerns, the government has given its consent to the introduction of the four-year course.”
Education minister Bratya Basu said in a tweet on Wednesday: “If we didn’t start the four-year degree programme, the seven lakh students could not compete at the all-India level. In that situation, the trend of students leaving Bengal to pursue higher studies would see a jump.”
He had said in March that the Bengal government wanted the UGC to arrange for adequate funds for the implementation of the four-year undergraduate programme by all higher education institutions.
“Else, only higher education institutions with adequate infrastructure, such as Jadavpur and Calcutta Universities, will be able to implement it,” Basu had said.
An official in the education department said the UGC has not committed any fund support.