Facilitating degrees within a degree

Source: The post is based on the article “Facilitating degrees within a degree” published in “The Hindu” on 20th September 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- governance- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education.

News: The article discusses India’s new National Higher Education Qualifications Framework (NHEQF). It points out its shortcomings, complexity, and potential implementation issues. The article emphasizes the importance of clearer guidelines and more inclusive consultations to improve the higher education system.

What are the issues of new National Higher Education Qualifications Framework (NHEQF)?

Multiple Frameworks: Instead of one consolidated framework, UGC prescribed both NHEQF and the National Credit Framework, causing confusion.

Omission of Key Disciplines: Important disciplines like agriculture, law, medicine, and pharmacy aren’t covered in the NHEQF.

Over-reliance on European Standards: The NHEQF heavily references the European Bologna process and Dublin descriptors, which might not align with India’s unique educational context.

Broad Purpose of Education Overlooked: The framework seems more focused on qualifications than holistic education encompassing socio-cultural and politico-economic factors.

Elitist Approach: Students with a four-year degree and high CGPA can directly pursue a PhD, which might lead to elitism.

Implementation Challenges: Equating postgraduate diplomas with four-year undergraduate programs, and suggesting unrealistic study hours, creates practical hurdles.

Unclear Learning Outcomes: The framework borrows heavily from European standards without adapting them for the diverse Indian disciplines.

What should be done?

1. Integrate all existing guidelines into the NHEQF for clarity.
2. Include disciplines like agriculture, law, medicine, and pharmacy in the NHEQF.
3. Base the NHEQF on consultations with states considering India’s education system diversity.
4. Recognize the broader purpose of education, beyond just livelihood.
5. Reconsider the direct path from a four-year degree with high CGPA to a PhD to ensure inclusivity.
6. Address challenges like equating postgraduate diplomas with four-year undergraduate programs and clarify the duration of courses like B.Ed.
7. Adapt and clarify learning outcomes for the diverse Indian disciplines, instead of heavily borrowing from European standards.