By - Dr. Asangba Tzudir
It's new, it's grand, So they say,
Yes, a four year plan,
Tailored to fit Global.
But caught in the Glocal threshold.
With the unfolding of the FYUGP (Four Years Undergraduate Programme), the real challenge comes with the coming of the 4th year of FYUGP which is the 7th and 8th semester. The issue at hand is how to go about it. This has happened because a lot of clarity is required. Now, the 4th year is divided into two components – 4th year with research and 4th year without research. The 4th year with research component has a 12 credit dissertation and those who want to go for the 4th year with research will have to get a 75% marks consolidated in the course of the six semesters. As for the four years without research, they will have to take three core papers which are of 4 credits each.
While there are no issues with the 4th year without research except the fact that the core papers are still in the process of development, it is the 4th year with research that presents the real challenge regarding the eligibility criteria like the number of faculty having phd in a department; the number of publications required to be a research supervisor; and for a department to have post-graduate programme in the college with a certain faculty strength. All these criteria are subject to further deliberation before finalization by Nagaland University because these criteria are not mentioned in the original FYUGP Framework, but criteria that have been proposed in context, and therefore should not in any way defeat the very essence and purpose of the FYUGP and therefore the 4th year especially the research component should rather be encouraged.
Now, the issue does not end here. Because of the provision for various exit points especially for those exiting after three years, it opens up two possibilities under the Curriculum and Credit Framework for Postgraduate Programmes given by UGC, June 2024. For 2-year PG, students entering 2 year PG after a 3-Year UG programme can choose to do (i) only course work in the 3rd and 4th semester or (ii) course work in the 3rd semester and research in the 4th semester or (iii) Only research in the 3rd and 4th semesters. For 1-year PG, student's entering 1-year PG after a 4-year UG programme can choose to do (i) only course work or (ii) research or (iii) coursework and research.
Now, what is quite mesmerizing is the exit point where those who join 2 year PG programmes shall have only one exit point and for those who exit at the end of 1st year shall be awarded a postgraduate diploma. So the system has provision, as of now, for 1 year PG Diploma; 2 Years Masters though there is no clarity on how long the 2 years PG programme will continue with the new 4+1 system. While it is hoped that some modalities will be worked out in future because of the different provisions leading to different masters certificate, there is another interesting scenario. Though the criteria are yet to be finalized, those who do 4th year with research are eligible to do direct PhD without having to do masters and provided they clear NET. Now, for a person to apply for Assistant Professorship, a person who graduated with a fourth year with research and did direct PhD, and also a person who graduated with a 4 years without research and did one year PG followed by PhD, both can apply. And this opens up the possibility where someone even without a PG degree can teach in college and university and whereas the eligibility criteria for applying for the Assistant Professorship is Post Graduation.
Under FYUGP, the possibilities are endless and which is also a result of ‘trespassing’ the original FYUGP framework while also making it complex. However, the emerging trends suggest that the challenge in context is one of translation and interpretation in the process of localization. However, in so doing, students should not be sandwiched in between or caught in a limbo.
(Dr. Asangba Tzudir writes a weekly guest editorial for The Morung Express. Comments can be mailed to asangtz@gmail.com).
