Two St Xavier’s institutions have announced they will offer four-year undergraduate courses, in accordance with the National Education Policy 2020, from the forthcoming academic year (2023-24).
The undergraduate courses “will be offered under the four-year honours programme with an exit option” after three years, says an announcement posted by St Xavier’s College on its website.
St Xavier’s University, New Town, has done the same.
The announcements come at a time when there is no clarity on whether the four-year UG programme will be introduced in government and government-aided colleges and universities in the 2023-24 academic year.
Father Dominic Savio, principal of St Xavier’s College, said they had created the required infrastructure for the four-year honours programme.
“We are ready to offer the four-year programme both on our Park Street campus and Raghavpur campus. A large number of our students go abroad after graduation to pursue higher studies. In the universities in the US, a four-year undergraduate degree is a must for higher studies,” Savio told Metro.
Father Felix Raj, vice-chancellor of St Xavier’s University, said in a notice: “Students who complete 3 years can do a two-year master’s degree. Students who complete 4 years with Hons, can do a one-year master’s. Students who complete 4 years with Hons and Research can go straight to PhD.”
A student who scores 75 per cent or more in the first six semesters may opt for honours with research in the 4th year.
The student will be required to complete a research project under the guidance of a faculty member.
Father Felix Raj told this newspaper: “All our departments are ready to start four-year undergraduate courses in the forthcoming academic session.”
Swami Kamalasthananda, principal of Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College, Rahara, said they were working on a plan to roll out the four-year programme in 2023-24.
The state higher education department had earlier set up a six-member committee to examine the infrastructure and other facilities in state-aided universities and colleges.
A member of the committee said they have submitted a report to the department suggesting that the programme be introduced in the forthcoming academic year. “We have told the department to create infrastructure mostly in colleges…” said the member.