THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For a student in the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUGP), getting a degree may only be the first step. Proving what that degree qualifies them for could leave them scratching their heads.
In a bid to spare students the hassle of establishing the eligibility of unfamiliar major, minor and double major degrees for jobs and higher studies, the Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC) plans to create a first-of-its-kind registry of all undergraduate degrees offered by universities in the state.
Each qualification will be assigned a unique identification number and a keyword-based description of its academic domain. The registry is intended to help government departments determine the eligibility of the degrees for recruitment through the state Public Service Commission and and also for higher studies.
The proposal follows a direction from Higher Education Minister Roji M John to prepare for possible difficulties FYUGP students could face as they complete the programme, particularly when seeking postgraduate admission or jobs.
“We are going to create a registry of degrees of all undergraduate programmes, which the council will track. Each will have a unique ID,” KSHEC vice-chairperson Achuthsankar S Nair said. The registry will carry keyword-based descriptions of each qualification. For instance, a biotechnology degree could be described using terms such as applied science, science and life science, he told TNIE.
The council plans to discuss the proposal with government line departments and the PSC and explore whether their qualification criteria can be aligned with the registry. The proposed system would shift the burden from students to institutions. “Right now, recognition and eligibility is a government-to-citizen issue. We want to change it to a government-to-government issue,” he said.
Under the proposed system, qualifications in the registry would serve as the basis for determining eligibility for jobs, rather than requiring students to establish their credentials separately. The council envisages universities registering their degrees in the database, while recruiting departments using the PSC redefine their requirements with the registry as a reference point.
“We intend to make the registry statutory,” Achuthsankar said. Once the mechanism is in place, universities would be required to enter their degrees in it. The proposal, however, is still at the idea stage. The council plans to convene a meeting of around 800 board of studies members to discuss the registry.
The initiative assumes significance as FYUGP gives students flexibility in choosing disciplines, creating degree combinations that may not fit into conventional eligibility criteria.
Mitigating hassles
Registry to cover all FYUGP degrees of state universities
It allocates every qualification a unique identification number
Uses keywords to describe each degree’s academic domain
Helps students avoid case-by-case eligibility verification hassles
PSC, govt departments can use registry for recruitment eligibility
