BHUBANESWAR: With the state adopting the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020 in higher education, the undergraduate (UG) degree is set to have a new syllabus and examination system from the ensuing academic session of 2025-26.
While the academic session for UG is likely to begin early this time, students from now on will be able to pursue single major with two minors or double majors or three minors at UG level.
The Higher Education department on Monday announced the commencement of admission applications for Plus III courses for the academic session 2025-26.
Students can fill up the common application forms (CAFs) for admission to undergraduate courses from April 16 onwards. The department has targeted to begin the academic year July 10 onwards, a month earlier than the usual practice.
Officials of the department said while the Odisha State Higher Education Council has prepared new syllabus (both interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary) for all the subjects at the UG level, the examination system will also undergo a change from 2025-26 session.
While earlier, a subject had 60 marks for practicals and 80 for theory, from now on, both practicals and theory will be of 100 marks each. The new syllabus also includes value-added courses, skill enhancement courses and summer internships.
This apart, the department informed that while filling the CAFs through SAMS, students can choose to study either a single major (previously honours) with two minors (previously elective or pass subjects), or double majors or three minors to get a degree. The subject-wise integration of double majors in semesters is currently being worked out by the department.
Sources said currently, only Ravenshaw University has worked out a double honours programme in Commerce stream where students can choose two subjects as their majors in UG. Students opting for double majors will not need to pursue a minor subject for the degree. For double majors, a students has to secure a minimum of 50 pc credits from the first major subject and a minimum of 40 pc in the second major subject to get the double major degree.