4-yr graduation course will not be implemented in state for now: Min

Kolkata: The four-year graduation course will not be implemented in the state right now, state Education minister Bratya Basu on Saturday said while adding that a committee will first be formed with Vice-Chancellors (V-Cs) and a final decision will be taken based on the committee’s findings.

In accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP), the undergraduate course will be of four years instead of three years. Earlier the state Higher Education department had written to all the registrars of the state to take appropriate measures for the introduction of the four-year programme.

The universities had assumed that it would be implemented right from the beginning of the 2023 academic year, which usually starts in July.

However, the minister while attending a language festival at Rabindra Tirtha in New Town said that first, an opinion will be taken from the committee on the implementation of this rule in different universities and only then can he talk about the matter.

The State Education minister also pointed out another problem with the introduction of the four-year programme. He said that its introduction will need a lot of money.

He also raised a question as to whether all the state universities have the required infrastructure for implementing the same.

“The University Grant Commission (UGC) is silent on that,” he said, adding that the state needs clear guidelines on it.

Earlier the state Higher Education department had written to all the registrars of the state universities to take appropriate measures for the introduction of the four-year programme.