Institutes of Eminence (IoEs) to Roll-Out 4-year Degree Programs With Multiple Entry and Exit

As per the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the four-year degree has to be rolled out this year. Hence, some of the 20 'Institutes of Eminence' (IoEs) will be asked to take a lead and roll out the four-year degree programs.

The government offered the IoE status to 20 Higher Education Institutes (HEIs), in August 2019. These 20 IoEs include Banaras Hindu University, four IITs, Delhi University, and 10 other private institutes.

As per the Secretary of Higher Education, Amit Khare, some IoEs can start the four-year multidisciplinary UG program with multiple exit and entry options immediately. 

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Khare said in this regard, "The phase-wise implementation of the NEP will start from this month itself. IoEs will be encouraged to start in 2020-21 because 20 IoEs are selected and some of them have even signed the MoU. By that time the credit bank will be operational, and these IoEs can have multiple entry and exit."

#NEP2020
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An Academic Bank of Credit shall be established which would digitally store the academic credits earned from various recognized HEIs so that the degrees from an HEI can be awarded taking into account credits earned. pic.twitter.com/yf5h2ai6UI

— Ministry of HRD (@HRDMinistry) July 29, 2020

The central universities which will be ready can join by 2021 and latest by 2022, Khare further added.

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The draft of the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill will be placed in September 2020, in the public domain for feedback. The first of its kind Academic Credit Bank (ACB) will be ready by December this year. Along with this, the framework for common entrance tests for admissions to higher education institutes will also be ready by February-March 2021 and the first test to be delivered by May 2021.

In terms of Academic Credit Bank, Khare informed that it will be first pilot-tested in few IITs and central universities before introducing it nationally.

The first test is likely to be delivered in May 2021 just after the class 12 Board exams of 2021.

Also Read Academicians from North East skeptical about the Implementation of NEP