Obtaining a bachelor’s degree has several advantages as well as benefits. While a bachelor’s degree is an investment that is worthwhile, it can also help you in fulfilling your lifelong educational as well as career goals. In today's economy, it pays order to take advantage of any opportunity and to enhance your prospects for long-term employment. Furthermore, a bachelor’s degree can also be one of the keys to rendering new opportunities to students who would not otherwise be able to get them. Since most companies require candidates for holding a college degree in order to be eligible to even be considered for employment, a bachelor’s degree helps them distinguish graduates from those competing for positions within the organizations.

Although the prospects of 4-years undergraduate courses are in abundance, a significant one is that these programmes get Indian education on par with foreign universities & numerous foreign universities across the globe are renowned educational hubs that do not accept 3-year degrees as an equivalent of any UG course, and rather, demand a four-year degree before applying for a master’s degree.

Another strong & important advantage that the 4-year UG programmes will have is the focus on research & institutions could award degrees "with Research," if the students manage to complete a research project that is specified by the Higher Education Institute, according to the draft.

Further, the Undergraduate programmes with a duration of 4 years will help students in getting a better perspective since they study a bit of everything in the first year & then focus on a particular discipline.

Enhancing employability & skill building

Predictably, these programmes will be making room for any optional blend of fieldwork, classroom sessions, as well as discussions & internships that render the industry exposure, that is largely lacking by the graduate population in the country. Therefore, the move could enhance employability as well as skill building.

While the framework for the 4-year UG program has been finalized by UGC (University Grants Commission), it will be implemented in all the higher education institutions from the upcoming academic session such as 2023-24. Although the rules for these courses will be sent to all universities this week, the 4-year undergraduate programme will be implemented in all the forty-five Central Universities & most of the state & private universities from the next academic session. Apart from this, several deemed universities are also going to render consent in order to implement the programme.

The road ahead

According to UGC, a 4-year undergraduate course will be rendered for all students; however, they will not be forced for opting it. If a student wishes, he can continue with the three-year undergraduate course. According to the chairman of University Grants Commission Mr. M. Jagadesh Kumar, the complete scheme of 4-year undergraduate courses will be made public in the coming days.

The University Grants Commission will also provide freedom to several universities in order to make a few rules & regulations. "Necessary rules can be fixed in this regard in the academic council and executive council of universities. If the university wishes, students studying in the final year can also be given the opportunity to be a part of 4-year undergraduate courses," he added.

If only the new students would be given the chance to enroll under FYUGP, then the results will be published only after 4 years, stated the chairman. On the contrary, if old students get an opportunity to join it, the results would be visible earlier. After 4-year undergraduate courses, it will be compulsory for students to pursue a 2-year post-graduation & Master of Philosophy for scoring fifty-five per cent marks for admission to a PhD. However, the M.Phil programme will not be continued for much longer and several big universities will not render M.Phil course in the near future & this is being done owing to the changes that have been made under the new education policy.

Although the UGC is completely prepared for the FYUGP, several teachers as well as the teacher organizations have registered their objections on this, they still argue that it will lead to an additional financial burden of another year on the students.

The 4-year Undergraduate program proposal can be one of the secret ingredients that are missing when done right for Indian education to not just be valued but as well as recognized globally. Making thoughtful additions, such as research facilities as well as electives, to Undergraduate programmes and not just semesters could bring us to par with educational institutions of global eminence.