NEP's four-year degree leaves Mumbai colleges worried

While Mumbai’s autonomous colleges are gearing up to launch the fourth year of select undergraduate programmes, the question that looms is what becomes of the classrooms after that. In this change brought about by the National Education Policy (NEP), students opting for the fourth year of their bachelor’s (Honours Programme) are to study alongside those who are in the first year of their master’s.

However, since the four-year students may finish their academic journeys sooner, colleges are left wondering whether the second year of their master’s programme will see half-filled classrooms.

Mid-Day learned that no new seats were allotted thus far by the university to accommodate the influx of entrants who will opt for the fourth year. Since master’s programmes in most colleges are self-financed, officials are wondering whether the possible burden of empty seats may fall onto the colleges.

So far, only those faculties that have an existing master’s department are permitted to start with the fourth year. In the meantime, students from streams like management studies and mass media have also expressed interest in the fourth year programme, but have no avenue.

Niche programme

Those who wish to study abroad or those who hope to build their career in research largely opt  for such programmes, say educators. While the response from students has not been very high this year, many may use the four-year-plus-master’s pattern as a fallback plan.

PG registrations

Several colleges are admitting students using the PG (Post Graduate) programmes, which had already commenced for MU in May. The NEP also gives these students a multiple entry-exit system that allows even master’s students to exit with a PG diploma after a year.

Principal Speak

Anushree Lokur, principal, Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College, Matunga
‘We conducted a survey among students, and the response isn’t that robust for four-year undergraduate programmes so far. However, there are always a large number of applicants for the master’s programme so we have to stagger the seats accordingly. The college cannot have too many empty seats for popular programmes because the four-year course ends earlier than master’s.’

Jamson Masih, principal, Wilson College
Students may go for four-year degrees and make their applications for master’s programmes abroad. If they get in, they may exit the system; if they don’t, then they may finish the last year of master’s. These situations haven’t risen yet since student response has been limited this year.’

Karuna Gokarn, principal, St Xavier’s College, Dhobi Talao
‘The best colleges can do is counsel their students to continue with their master’s programmes in the second year as well’

* This article was originally published here