The University Grants Commission (UGC) has introduced a new scheme that will allow undergraduate students to adjust the duration of their degree programmes, either shortening or extending it according to their preferences, UGC Chairman Jagadesh Kumar announced on Thursday.
The Commission has approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to offer both Accelerated Degree Programmes (ADP) and Extended Degree Programmes (EDP).
The proposed norms will be made available for public feedback, with a view to implementing them soon.
Kumar explained that the new initiative is designed to give students the flexibility to manage their study durations according to their learning capabilities.
"ADP will enable students to complete a three-year or four-year degree in a reduced time frame by earning additional credits per semester. EDP, on the other hand, will offer an extended timeline, allowing students to take fewer credits per semester," Kumar said.
Under the new arrangement, students pursuing ADP or EDP will earn the same total number of credits as those in a standard-duration degree. However, these degrees will be treated equally to the standard duration degrees in terms of academic and recruitment recognition.
The degrees will include a note specifying that the academic requirements have been completed in the shortened or extended timeframe.
Top international universities have long offered similar options, enabling students to finish their degrees sooner or later than initially scheduled. According to Kumar, the system will help students align their academic progress with their individual capabilities and preferences.
“The new initiative gives students the option to either accelerate their studies or extend them. Both ADP and EDP will ensure that students complete the required number of credits in the total duration of the programme, albeit with adjustments to the semester load,” he added.
The SOPs also stipulate that up to 10% of the sanctioned intake in HEIs may be allocated to ADP students.
Institutions will form committees to evaluate applications for ADP and EDP based on students’ academic performance at the end of their first or second semester.
This will determine eligibility for either programme.
Kumar clarified that students opting for ADP will follow the same curriculum as the standard programme, but with an adjusted timeline.
"If a student opts for ADP after the first semester, they will start earning extra credits from the second semester onward. Similarly, if they choose it after the second semester, the additional credit load will begin from the third semester," he said.
On the other hand, EDP will allow students to extend their programme duration by up to two semesters. The number of credits earned in each semester will be adjusted accordingly.
The committee will decide the minimum credit load for EDP students, following the guidelines set out in the Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programmes.
The UGC also clarified that HEIs can award degrees to students who complete their programmes within the opted duration, either accelerated or extended.
“For the accelerated and extended degrees, a self-contained note will be added to the degree, specifying that the academic requirements for a standard duration have been met within a shortened or extended timeframe,” Kumar explained.
The proposal is part of the UGC’s broader efforts to improve flexibility and student-centred learning in India’s higher education system. Institutions will continue to evaluate students based on the same examination and evaluation systems that apply to standard-duration courses.
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