THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Just like any other college student, Lekshmi (name changed) is worried about her future. But the concern is not over her prospects in the job market or for higher studies, but the course she chose to pursue. She’s among the pilot batch of students who enrolled for the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUGP) rolled out in 2023.
At first glance, the course looked impressive. But the early enthusiasm gave way to uncertainty as there was lack of clarity regarding the curriculum and semesters were wound up in 3-4 months. Moreover, Lekshmi felt overburdened as the major and minor subjects were not properly delineated, and there was ambiguity about how her final-year research work would shape up, with less than ten months of the programme remaining.
While FYUGP was formally launched in the state in 2024, the pilot batch of 30 students were signed up for the programme at the Kerala University’s social-science departments a year earlier.
Now, the confusion and inept implementation have forced 17 of the students to exit the course in the third year with a regular bachelor’s degree – forgoing the honours degree they had originally enlisted for. Eight out of 13 students with political science as major, two of 10 economics majors and all eight pursuing history have decided to drop out after three years.
“Being the first batch under a new system, our first-year academic year was delayed. In order to keep pace, our semesters were cut short. We had to clear more papers in every semester than regular undergraduate students, yet faculty from outside the university kept reminding us that the syllabus was disorganised.
The large number of minor subjects, with limited options, left us feeling out of sorts in our focus subjects. Even if I exit the course now, I will be forced to join for a two-year master’s somewhere else with half-baked ideas. Because of this, I have decided to pursue the final year,” Lekshmi said, pointing to a systematic lapse in the way FYUGP was first conceived.
Later, KU introduced changes to the curriculum, including more minor subject options in the succeeding batches. “Some of the students of my batch had joined after giving up on the chance to be part of institutions such as the Delhi University. Authorities seem to have clarity on just the first two semesters.
During enrolment, we were told that ‘minor degrees’ will be issued for the minor subjects that we clear. But there has been no further information on whether certificates will be issued or how we can cash in on the same,” Lekshmi stressed.
Vinayak Dileep, who exited the political-science stream after the third year, pointed out to the evident lack of academic planning for the pilot batch. “Even teachers and students are unclear about how the fourth year – which will be more research oriented – will pan out. I would have ended up spending four years for what is effectively a three-year course. Even though university officials have talked about starting one-year postgraduate courses as soon as we pass out, I cannot further stake my career on promises,” he added.
The pilot batch’s sixth-semester exam results are yet to be formally announced. Furthermore, the university has set a cut-off CGPA score of 7.5 for students hoping to proceed to the fourth year. The delay in publishing results is affecting both students who plan to exit and join other colleges and those taking up the seventh semester.
Even while validating the students’ concerns, teachers say they have little say on bureaucratic delays. “The concerns raised by our students are valid, but we have done our best for them. The course itself began late, and the issues they face are primarily because of resultant efforts at playing catch-up. We have completed the work of evaluation, and the results are now being processed by the university,” a social science faculty told TNIE.
Inept implementation
While FYUGP was formally launched in the state in 2024, the pilot batch of 30 students were signed up for the programme at Kerala University’s social-science depts a year earlier.
Now, the confusion and inept implementation have forced 17 of the students to exit the course in the third year with a regular bachelor’s degree – forgoing the honours degree they had originally enlisted for.
Eight out of 13 students with political science as major, two of 10 economics majors and all eight pursuing history have decided to drop out after three years
