Soon students can shorten or extend UG programme duration

The UGC rolled out accelerated and extended degree programmes, enabling students to either shorten or extend their course duration by earning additional or fewer credits

Hyderabad: Students will soon be able to shorten or extend duration of the undergraduation depending on the programme with the University Grants Commission (UGC) on Thursday rolling out new programmes – accelerated degree programme (ADP) and extended degree programme (EDP). These programmes are in addition to the existing three and four-year UG programmes with standard duration.

The ADP, which follows the same curriculum content and total credits prescribed for standard duration, will enable students to shorten their course duration by one or two semesters by allowing them earn additional credits per semester starting second or third semester.

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In a three-year undergraduate programme, students can reduce the duration by a maximum of one semester. For example, students can earn the total credits needed for a three-year undergraduate programme in five semesters.

Similarly, in a four-year undergraduate programme, students can shorten course duration by one semester or a maximum of two semesters, i.e., total credits required for a four-year undergraduate programme can be secured in six or seven semesters.

On the other hand, students of three-year or four-year undergraduate programmes opting for the EDP are allowed to extend course duration up to a maximum of two semesters. The programme that follows the same curriculum content and total credits prescribed for a standard course duration allows students to earn fewer credits every semester than those required.

Students can choose ADP or EDP either at the end of the first or second semester but not beyond that. The UGC has also issued standard operating procedure, guiding higher education institutions (HEIs) in the academic content, credits, assessment methods and degree awarding while implementing accelerated and extended degrees.

“Under ADP and EDP, students earn the same total credits as in the standard-duration programme. The HEIs will establish committees to evaluate students’ eligibility for these programmes. These degrees will be equivalent to standard duration degrees for all employment and academic purposes,” said Prof. M Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman UGC.