NEW DELHI: Aligning with global practices, University Grants Commission (UGC) has amended its regulations to allow biannual admissions in higher education institutions (HEIs) in regular mode from 2024-25 academic session. In 2023 the Commission permitted biannual admissions under open and distance learning (ODL) and online modes in January and July during an academic year.Based on the response from candidates and increased intake as well as enhancing their international collaborations and student exchanges, UGC is extending the same for programmes in regular mode. UGC believes that this will also encourage industries to come for campus placement twice a year and improve employment opportunities.
At present UGC Regulations allow HEIs to enrol aspirants in one academic session (12 month duration) in a year starting in July/ August. Indian HEIs follow the academic session that begins in July-August and ends in May-June.
In the Commission meeting on July 25, 2023, the agenda to permit twice a year admissions under ODL/ online scheme was approved. According to UGC’s distance education bureau (DEB) portal admissions in ODL and online modes, a total of 19.73 lakh students were enrolled in July 2022 and an additional 4.28 lakh joined in January 2023 in various programmes.
“These numbers indicate that permitting a second academic session in a year has helped nearly half a million students join their degree programmes without waiting for one full academic year,” said M Jagadesh Kumar, chairperson, UGC.
The UGC in its meeting on May 15, 2024 extended the same to HEIs who offer programmes in regular mode to admit students twice in a year, either in January/ February or July/ August from the coming academic year.
Speaking to the TOI, Professor Yogesh Singh, vice chancellor, Delhi University, said: “This is a worldwide practice to admit students in two sessions – fall and spring and it’s a good initiative of UGC. For large size universities like DU it will be a challenge, but if allowed we will too start, first through a pilot run and gradually extending it.”
As per the amended regulations, HEIs with requisite infrastructure and faculty can utilize the opportunity. Offering biannual admissions is not mandatory but flexibility that UGC is offering to HEIs who want to increase their student intake and offer new programmes in emerging areas. To be able to admit students twice a year, HEIs must make suitable amendments to their respective institutional regulations.
Universities like Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan said that it will implement it from the 2024-25 academic session. According to Manojranjan Nayak, founder president of SOA, “At times had to wait for nine months for admission after missing a particular exam for various reasons and clearing it in a couple of months later. Such students will benefit. Moreover, it will increase the intake and thus assist in increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio and make India a ‘Global Study Destination’ as envisioned in National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.”
Kumar said: “If Indian universities can offer admission twice a year, it will benefit many students. Such as those who missed admission to a university in the July/ August session due to a delay in the announcement of board results, health issues, or personal reasons. Biannual university admissions will help students maintain motivation since they do not have to wait one full year to be admitted if they miss admission in the current cycle.”
According to UGC, biannual admissions will also enable the HEIs to plan their resource distribution, such as faculty, labs, classrooms and support services, more efficiently, resulting in a better functional flow within the university.
“Universities worldwide already follow a biannual admission system. If Indian HEIs adopt the biannual admission cycle, our HEIs can enhance their international collaborations and student exchanges. As a result, our global competitiveness will improve, and we will align with the global educational standards,” Kumar added.