UGC Approved Dual Degrees and its Benefits

National Education Policy has considered the need for educational evolution with an experiential, holistic, integrated, discovery-oriented approach. The approach would eventually make education more flexible and enjoyable. The policy allows the pursuit of degrees with a flexible curriculum that would offer multiple exits and entry points. It's just removing rigid boundaries of the education system and replacing them with more convenient policies. It will create new possibilities and opportunities for learning experiences.

With the increasing demand for higher education and limited seat availability in regular streams, Higher Education Institute has initiated dual programs consisting of degrees, one in open/regular format and the other in the distance/online form. This will help to meet the requirements of the desired applicants. After analyzing the demand and different scenarios, NEP 2022  accepted this dual degree format and provided some guidelines.

This would help to utilise time more efficiently, as one is allowed to use two degrees at a time of one. Individuals will get a broad vision of different career streams in various subjects.

Here are the objectives of the dual degree programs:

• Pursuing two degrees simultaneously helps to identify each student's unique abilities and recognise the student's worth.
• Both degrees will focus on both academic and non-academic parameters. Teachers and parents also promote each student’s holistic and overall development.
• This will help to minimise the boundaries of subjects like arts, science, etc., as different degrees may have other streams. A student can become more capable and rich in diverse knowledge. This will increase the area of exposure for learning.
• This will also help to integrate and unite different social parameters (like one engineer can design its design with consideration and vision of an art student).
• Individuals will benefit from learning from diverse fields and develop a more robust and responsible character for the development of society.
• This will make students' lives more creative and friendly, and satisfying in the future as they will have more opportunities in several fields.

Guidelines for the dual degree programs are mentioned below:

• Indian Higher Education Institutions are interested in collaborations with Foreign Higher Education to offer joint degrees, dual degrees, and twinning programmes.
• A student can pursue two degrees of learning, but the timing of the class should not overlap with each other.
• A student can simultaneously pursue one degree in full-time physical mode and another in open distance learning or online mode or up to two degrees in open distance degree/ online programs.
• Degrees or diploma programs of online mode shall be pursued from higher education institutes that must be recognised by the UGC/ statutory body/council/government of India for the duration of the running program.
• The degree or diploma curriculum must follow the rules and regulations of India's UGC government/ Statutory councils.
• The guidelines mentioned above shall come into effect from the date of UGC notification. The benefit can be claimed by the students who have completed two degrees simultaneously before the notification of these guidelines.
• These guidelines and policies do not apply to PhD programs.

In April 2022, the UGC approved and invited foreign universities to dual degree partition programs. UGC notified its regulations and initiated the collaboration of foreign/international universities with their foreign counterparts to offer joint, twinning or dual degree, and 48 foreign universities have already shown their interest in the policy.

Collaboration of Colleges

The two colleges will have to undergo a written memorandum of understanding (MoU) or written agreement related to students' obligations, fees, financial arrangements, intellectual property rights, duration, exam patterns etc. The UGC allows Indian students to pursue two degrees in three ways for those who choose to grant extra credit; it is not mandatory. It is just an additional credit for the students, which doesn’t aim to discredit the existing programs.

The regulations allow three types of degrees:

• Twinning degree programme

Under this programme, Indian universities can merge their programs with foreign universities. Students can earn 30% credit required for the programme in a foreign university, and Indian University will award the final degree.

• Joint degree programme

Under this programme, Indian and foreign universities designed the academic curriculum jointly.  After completing the courses, the students will be awarded a joint degree by an Indian institution and a collaborating foreign university. They are required to earn 30% credit for both universities.

• Dual degree programme

Under this programme, students must earn at least 30 % credit from both universities. Both Indian and foreign universities will award the final degree. Institution either simultaneously or separately. (but this will not be considered to different degrees at all).

Most prestigious colleges/universities worldwide have shown interest in this educational venture. The various universities of London, Australia, Germany, and Tokyo have written to UGC Officials showing their interest in the details and collaborations. 

• The University of Glasgow
• The Deakin University, Australia
• The University of Queensland, Australia
• The University of Tokyo
• The University Of Cambridge
• The Bangor University
• SOAS University of London
• The University of Manchester
• The Universitat Jena, Germany
• The Durban University of Technology, South Africa

 This will help Indian students to get a foreign degree and increase their chances of employability in the international market. Collaborations with other universities and exchange student programs were the benefits available in many reputed private and government universities in India. 

• Students can improve and enhance or exposure to their career prospects in a short duration of time.
• The university is following all the norms for the tie-ups. It doesn't need to grant UGC permissions at every step.
• This is a massive step toward dissolving the boundaries between science, arts and commerce streams.

All the other related details will be explained in the 2022-23 academic sessions regarding fees and overseas collaboration.

 For any further information related to education policies in India or overseas regarding the type of courses and career guidelines, one can visit www.mynextexam.com. We will always provide you with the latest update on the courses, institute deadlines, and other updated government policies related to education.

By Mithila Rathod