VIJAYAWADA: All universities and colleges offering B.Sc, B.Com and BA courses will introduce the Choice-based Credit System (CBCS) from this academic year (2015-16) as per UGC guidelines. The system paves the way for inter-disciplinary approach to studies and helps students to earn more credits in their chosen subjects. This will ultimately benefit the students at the time of admission to PG courses of their interest.
The UGC has instructed all universities and autonomous colleges to go ahead with CBCS as it entails grading system which is considered to be better than the conventional marks system. To implement this, 80 per cent syllabus of the core papers should have common syllabus.
“The choice-based credit transfer system aims to enable students to opt for courses of their choice and equip themselves with skills to enhance their employability. The grading system aims to facilitate seamless mobility of students across institutions. As the same pattern is being implemented all over the country, the students of a particular university can join another institute after completion of first or second year of the course,” said K Sridhar, incharge of placement cell at PB Siddhartha Academy of Arts and Science.
However, the CBCS its own disadvantages. While the system is based on semester system, most of the universities follow the academic calendar that ends with annual examinations.
While some universities offer credits to first and second languages, some others do not. Also, most of the colleges do not have proper infrastructural facilities to teach the syllabi of various subjects prescribed by UGC and this may have an adverse impact on the student’s ability to accumulate more credits.
“The UGC has not made English language course mandatory at under-graduate level. This will have an adverse impact on the academic career of students as their communicative skills will be stunted when they go higher studies,” says GM Srirangam, co-ordinator of Internal Quality Assurance Cell.