Bhubaneswar, June 12: Lack of clarity on implementation of the Choice Based Credit System in various colleges and varsities of the state has confused both students and teachers alike.

The system provides choices for students to select from the prescribed courses (core, elective, minor and soft-skill ones).

The state government, on various occasions, had made it very clear that the system will be implemented from the academic year 2015-16. But, none of the varsities has come up with any announcement regarding the system and its implementation from this session.

Though many of them have started working on the system and preparing the new syllabus as well as for the transition, a good number of academicians have expressed apprehension regarding its implementation.

The UGC and the ministry of human resource development have been trying to implement the system in the country for some time.

Termed as a student-centric approach, the ministry said it would allow students to undertake multidisciplinary subjects and complete courses in various institutions.

While there has been no stiff resistance from the teaching community as yet, many believe that without a proper clarity, "the move may prove disastrous. Also, there is an obvious reluctance to go for the system, which is still under debate at the national level.

"We have been working on the system for the past three months. In our previous meetings, it was decided that the system would be implemented from the session 2015-16 at Plus Three degree level," said Utkal University vice-chancellor Ashok Das.

Das said: "Though there has been no major opposition regarding the system from the teaching community, there are apprehensions, especially due to the shortage of teaching employees and large-scale vacancies that haunt the varsities."

"The bifurcation of Plus Two and Plus Three is also remains another important issue as it was decided that these would be separated from the session 2015-16 onwards, but nothing has been done yet," said a senior professor.

However, the varsities have reportedly decided that the system will be implemented in autonomous colleges in the first phase. This will be confirmed after a meeting with the higher education officers next week.

In another development, students, too, have sought clarity over the matter at the earliest. "Even the teachers have no clarity about it. I tried asking one of them if we will be given grades from this year and she had no answer. There is no clear guidelines about the new system and the has only created more confusion." said Asish Jena, a student.