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Source– This post on National Credit Framework (NCrF) is based on the article “All you need to know about the National Credit Framework” published in “The Economic Times” on 11th January 2024.
Why in the News?
This article discusses the National Credit Framework (NCrF) system, which aligns education and skills training. It enables students to acquire skills while pursuing education and vice versa, facilitating greater access.
What is the National Credit Framework (NCrF)?
About– It is a unified meta-framework that accumulates credits earned from school education, higher education, and vocational and skill education. Under this system, credits will be assigned to academic learning.
1. It consists of three verticals:
a. National School Education Qualification Framework (NSEQF)
b. National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF)
c. National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF).
Developed by– It is jointly developed by University Grants Commission (UGC), AICTE, NCVET, NIOS, CBSE, NCERT, DGT, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Skill Development.
What are the various provisions of National Credit Framework (NCrF)?
1. Blending Academic and Vocational Education:
a. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasizes the fusion of academic and vocational education, which is facilitated by the NCrF.
b. This mechanism guarantees parity within and across the two educational pathways.
2. Credit System:
a. The yearly ‘Notional Learning hours‘ for Credit allocation will be set at 1200 hours. Students can earn a minimum of 40 credits through 1200 hours of learning each year, with 20 credits available per six-month semester
Note– Notional hours represent the time needed for students to attend classes, study for exams, and complete assignments and homework.
b. Students will earn 160 credits throughout their schooling.
c. A three-year bachelor’s degree results in 120 credits.
d. Upon completing a Ph.D., students acquire 320 credits.
e. Students also gain credits for participating in Olympiads, science quizzes, internships, and jobs during college.
3. Credit Levels: The NCrF proposes levels from 1 to 8.
a. The credit level achievable after finishing school education- grade 5 completion is level 1, grade 8 is level 2, grade 10 is level 3 and grade 12 is level 4
b. Higher education ranges from levels 4.5 to 8.
c. Vocational education and training ranges from levels 1 to 8.
4. Aadhaar-Enabled Student Registration:
a. Students first have to register with Aadhaar, and then an Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) account will be created.
b. The accounts will receive deposits of degrees and credits. A knowledge locker similar to DigiLocker will also be available.
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