The North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) on July 19 cautioned colleges in Meghalaya that if the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is not implemented for the undergraduate courses, students would lag behind and lose their competitive edge.
NEHU vice chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla said the university has asked all affiliated colleges to implement NEP 2020 from the upcoming academic year beginning in August.
NEHU officials said that most of the central universities in the country have implemented the NEP for their affiliated colleges and if students in Meghalaya follow the old system they stand to lose on different competitive platforms.
Colleges in Meghalaya affiliated to NEHU have sought time to implement the NEP saying that it would require a massive overhaul.
“Of course there are challenges in implementing the new policy, but college authorities must reach out to the NEHU and highlight the difficulties so that these issues could be collectively resolved for the speedy implementation of the policy,” the vice chancellor said.
Shukla however said that the university would go the extra mile and extend all help and support to the colleges to implement the new policy.
“Our objective is to ensure the students’ prospects are bright and competitive,” he said.
Under the NEP, the undergraduate courses would be of a four-year from the current 3-year duration. Moreover, students have the choice of having multiple entry and exit points.
Under this system a student can opt out after one year and get a certificate or get an advanced diploma after two years, a bachelor’s degree after 3 years and a bachelor’s with research after four years.
The objective is to “remove rigid boundaries and facilitate new possibilities for learners, curtail the dropout rate, and offer creative combinations of disciplines of study that would enable multiple entry and exit points.”
Meghalaya education minister Rakkam Sangma earlier has announced that college authorities have met and discussed their inability to implement the NEP from the upcoming academic session.
