HYDERABAD: Even before the Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS) is properly implemented, the state universities in Telangana are faced with the challenge of framing the curriculum for under-graduate courses for the coming academic year. As the University Grants Commission (UGC) is planning to make nearly 70 per cent of UG syllabus uniform from next year, the state universities are reluctant to go ahead with CBCS.
The UGC has recently issued a circular to all state and central universities stating that universities can design only 30 per cent of their curriculum for UG courses and the rest 70 percent will be uniform to all universities in the country. That means universities cannot make changes to 70 percent of the syllabus.
Though this provision was part of the initial draft of CBCS policy, the UGC did not enforce it this year. Since many states are implementing CBCS for UG and PG courses, the UGC has brought it to the fore again.
In a recent circular, the UGC stated, “The CBCS, which is already in existence, should be adopted by all the universities. It is hoped that even this suggestion by us to have 70 percent uniformity be implemented as this would ensure seamless mobility of students as well as transfer and mutual recognition of credits across the higher education institutions in the country.”
This diktat by UGC created a tricky situation for the state universities which have failed to implement CBCS effectively this year and are planning to implement it from the next academic year. A senior faculty member from Osmania University said, “This will reduce our flexibility in preparing the syllabi of all courses. If we have no control over a major part of the syllabus, we won’t be able to encourage students to take up combination courses as part of CBCS.”
The universities are also opposing UGC’s move to reduce their autonomy by controlling a major part of the syllabus. As the CBCS is still in experimental stage in Telangana, the universities appealed to the UGC to allow them more time before making changes in the system.