Telangana: Bucket system for undergraduate courses scrapped

Students have to choose only subjects from the given rigid combination of three subjects; decision attributed to significant imbalance in admissions

Hyderabad: Students, henceforth, will not be able to pick and choose subjects in their undergraduate education. Universities have agreed to scrap the existing bucket system that allowed students to select their subjects from a pool of subjects, reverting to age-old practice of studying subjects from a given rigid combination of three subjects, from academic year 2025-26.

This decision was taken during the conventional universities Vice Chancellors meeting convened by the Telangana Council of Higher Education (TGCHE) here on Friday.

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“The Vice Chancellors unanimously agreed for the removal of the existing bucket system for UG courses,” the TGCHE said. This means, students have to choose only subjects from the given rigid combination of subjects such as BSc Botany, Zoology and Chemistry, BA History, Political Science and Economics and BSc Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.

Attributing this decision to significant imbalance in admissions, official sources said demand for subjects like computer science has been witnessing high enrolment, while the less popular subjects in the arts are struggling to fill seats in several degree colleges.

The meeting was attended by VCs of Osmania University, Kakatiya University, Telangana University, Mahatma Gandhi University, Palamuru University, Satavahana University, and Veeranari Chakali Ilamma Women’s University.

All universities agreed on a unified academic calendar, as per which the final UG examinations will be completed by April 30 every year, allowing smooth conduct of Common Entrance Tests (CETs) in May.

Apart from revising 20 per cent of the UG syllabus, incorporating emerging areas such as AI, for the academic year 2025-26, the VCs decided on adopting a Continuous Assessment Pattern (CAP) with a 100-mark distribution (project work/assignment – 25, midterm – 25, end semester – 50) to evaluate students.

In order to streamline the affiliation process, the universities fixed deadlines for extending affiliation for law, professional, and degree colleges. They directed to thoroughly verify the approved intake before granting affiliation, due to noted discrepancies between sanctioned intake and actual admissions.

Common UG almanac for conventional universities for academic year 2025-26:

First semester
– Commencement of classes: June 16
– Mid-term exams: August 1 to 7
– Dasara vacation: September 21 to October 5
– Reopening day: October 6
– Project submission: October 21
– Last date of instruction: October 31
– Preparatory holidays, practical exams: November 1 to 4
– Commencement of theory exams: November 6
– Reopening for second semester: November 20

Third and fifth semesters
– Commencement of classes: June 2
– Last date of re-admissions: July 7
– Mid-term exams: August 1 to 7
– Dasara vacation: September 21 to October 5
– Reopening day: October 6
— Last date of instruction: October 31
– Preparatory holidays, practical exams: November 1 to 4
– Commencement of theory exams: November 6
– Reopening for second semester: November 20

Second, fourth and sixth semester
– Commencement of classes: November 20
– Sankranti vacation: January 10 to 18, 2026
– Reopening day: January 19
— Mid-term exams: January 19 to 24
– Project submission: March 28
– Last date of instruction: April 2
– Preparatory holidays, practical exams: April 6 to 8
– Commencement of theory exams: April 13
– Reopening of third and fourth semester: June 1