Students in the four autonomous colleges under Calcutta University who opt to exit after the third year of the four-year undergraduate programme in July will be awarded a “graduate with major” degree, vice-chancellor Ashutosh Ghosh said on Wednesday.

The decision was taken at a meeting between the VC and the principals of the four autonomous colleges: St Xavier’s College, Park Street; Ramakrishna Mission Narendrapur Residential College; Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur; and Behala College.

The provision will apply to students admitted in 2023 who complete six semesters but decide not to pursue the seventh and eighth semesters of the programme.

“The principals of the autonomous colleges have been informed that students who exit after the third year this July will receive a degree titled ‘graduate with major’. On Wednesday, we met the principals to discuss various provisions of the National Education Policy (NEP), based on which the four-year undergraduate programme was launched in 2023,” Ghosh told Metro.

CU is also considering a similar provision for students of its affiliated colleges who exit after the third year. “We are taking legal opinion. A detailed guideline... will be announced soon,” Ghosh said.

St Xavier’s College on Tuesday issued a notice regarding the exit option. The notice said: “The last date for opting for the three-year exit option will be the last class day for Semester VI students. Students who choose the three-year exit option may re-enrol for the fourth year of the programme only after a gap of one year from the year of exit.”

The notice also said only those who opt for the three-year exit option will be allowed to appear for the supplementary exams for Semesters V and VI.

Principal Father Dominic Savio, who attended the meeting with Ghosh, told Metro: “We will state that a student has graduated with a major in English, physics or sociology, depending on the subject. We will issue a circular.”

Swami Mahapraj-nananda of Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur, said: “The VC proposed awarding the ‘graduate with major’ degree to students exiting after the third year, though no student in our college has opted for the exit so far.”

A CU official said students exiting after three years would be eligible to enrol in a two-year master’s programme under the NEP. Those completing the fourth year with honours would be eligible for a one-year master’s programme.