New Delhi. Indian universities and higher education institutions will now be allowed to give admission twice a year on the lines of foreign universities and the University Grants Commission (UGC) has approved the plan in this regard. UGC Chairman Jagdish Kumar gave this information. Kumar said that from the academic session 2024-25, the admission process will be started twice in July-August and January-February.
Kumar told PTI-Bhasha, “If Indian universities can give admission twice a year, it will benefit those students who miss admission in a university in the July-August session due to delay in declaration of board exam results, health problems or personal reasons.”
He said, “Admissions to universities twice a year will help keep students motivated as they will not have to wait a whole year to get admission if they miss admission in the current session. With admissions twice a year, industry players can also conduct their ‘campus’ selection process twice a year, which will improve employment opportunities for graduates.” The UGC chief explained that admissions twice a year will help higher education institutions (HEIs) plan their resource distribution, such as faculty, laboratories, classrooms and support services, more efficiently, resulting in smooth functioning within the university.
Kumar said, “Universities across the world are already following the biennial admission system. If Indian higher education institutions adopt the biennial admission cycle, our higher education institutions can increase their international collaboration and student exchange. As a result, our global competitiveness will improve and we will be at par with global educational standards.”
He said, “If higher education institutions adopt biennial admission, they will have to deal with administrative complexities, make good planning for better use of available resources and provide a seamless support system to smoothly cope with the students getting admission at different times of the year. Higher education institutions can maximize the utility of biennial admission only if they adequately prepare faculty members, staff and students for the change. ” Kumar, however, clarified that it will not be mandatory for universities to give admission twice a year and higher education institutions that have the necessary infrastructure and teacher faculty can take advantage of this opportunity.
He said, “It will not be mandatory for higher education institutions to give biennial admissions, this is the flexibility that UGC provides to those higher education institutions that want to increase their student population and offer new programs in emerging areas. To be able to admit students twice a year, higher education institutions will have to make suitable amendments in their institutional rules.” Currently, universities and colleges admit students in the regular mode in July-August every year. Therefore, all higher education institutions (HEIs) in India follow the academic session starting in July-August and ending in May-June.
Last year, the UGC had allowed students to take admission in open and distance learning (ODL) and online mode twice during an academic year in January and July. Kumar said last year’s decision had helped about five lakh students join degree courses without waiting for a full academic year.
He said, “After UGC permitted two cycle admissions in a year for ODL and online mode, as per the information provided by HEIs on the UGC portal, a total of 19,73,056 students registered in July 2022 and an additional 4,28,854 students joined ODL and online programmes in January 2023.” He added, “Half-year admissions can significantly increase the gross enrolment ratio and make India a ‘global study destination’, as envisaged in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.”