Ongole: Now, students can study ‘Physics in B Com’ with 4-yr hons degree

Ongole: It is time to end teasing, ‘He studied physics in B Com’ as the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) is introducing the 4-year honours degree programme in a single major from 2023-24 academic year. The universities in the state are conducting awareness programme for the students, their parents, principals and management members of the affiliated colleges under the aegis of the APSCHE for the last few days. In an interview with The Hans India, the academic officer of APSCHE, G Srirangam Mathew, explained the features of the new 4-year degree programme.

The National Education Policy 2020 recognises that higher education plays an extremely important role in promoting human as well as societal well-being in developing India. Given the 21st century requirements, quality higher education must aim to develop good, thoughtful, well-rounded, and creative individuals, it observed.

In accordance with NEP-2020, the University Grants Commission (UGC) formulated the student-centric ‘Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programmes’ and released it in December 2022. The APSCHE redesigned the existing curriculum framework in accordance with the CCFUP by UGC and is introducing the 4-year honours degree programme in a single major in all affiliated degree colleges from 2023-24, by converting the existing three-major degree programmes into single major programmes.

The academic officer of APSCHE, Srirangam Mathew, explained that to provide the opportunity to focus on the chosen major and minors as per the choice of the student, the APSCHE is introducing a holistic and multidisciplinary undergraduate education through the 4-year honours degree programme in a single major. He said that this programme facilitates multiple entry and exit options for the student with UG Certificate, Diploma or Degree depending on the credits secured in the classroom, online and hybrid modes of learning. He said that the 4-year curriculum also included an integrated community service project and two internships or on-job training.

Mathew said that the student receives a certificate if exits the course at the completion of the first year, receives a diploma if he exits after completion of the second year, a degree if he exits after completion of the third year, and receives the 4-yr Honours Degree with Single Major after successful completion of the fourth year.

He informed that the student has to study 21 major core courses with 84 credits and has six minor courses with 24 credits as part of the honours degree programme. He said that any student who completed Intermediate can seek admission into Arts majors, while he needs to complete Intermediate with MPC to take Maths, Physics or Chemistry or from BiPC stream to take Biotechnology or Biochemistry or Zoology or Physics or Chemistry as a major. He said that a student of Arts can choose minor courses in Science and Commerce and a student of science can choose a minor in arts and commerce as per their eligibility, to broaden their intellectual experience.

The students must do multidisciplinary courses as part of the curriculum. The BA, BCom, BBA or BCA majors students can study principal of physical sciences, biological sciences or chemical sciences in Semester I, basic maths, statistics or nanotechnology in Semester II, basic electronics, health and hygiene, or geography in Semester IV while the BSc majors students study social work, psychology or Indian history in Semester I, public administration or principles of management or accounting in Semester III, fundamentals of economics or Indian philosophy or performing arts in Semester IV. All students will choose a total of six skill development courses from Semester I to IV from a variety of skills like entrepreneurship development to cyber security or digital marketing depending on their interest.

Mathew informed that the students can take the course in minors either in the classroom or online platforms like SWAYAM, NPTEL, OGC or other recognised edutech companies. He said that the students can join the PG Course in the major subject or one of the minor subjects.