Biannual Admissions: A Student-centric Approach

On 15 May 2024, the University Grants Commission approved the policy of allowing HEIs to admit students twice a year, in July/August and January/February. What are your thoughts on this?

University Grants Commission (UGC) has approved the policy of biannual admissions in the higher education institutions (HEIs) starting from the academic year 2024-25 in the regular mode of education vide its public notice dated 19th June 2024. There are two aspects of this policy - one from the supply-side and another from the demand-side. From the demand side, the decision to admit students twice, in an academic year is a student-centric approach and students may be elated. However, from the supply side, the decision has a multitude of implementation issues, which can’t be overlooked. The infrastructural, managerial and technical tailbacks need to be addressed before employing this decision in the HEIs.

How in your view, this step is going to impact the higher education landscape?

Foreign universities are already following biannual admissions to their academic programmes. This decision for Indian HEIs will help bolster academic collaborations and student exchange programmes seamlessly. This will put the Indian education system at par with the foreign university system. Although, UGC in its notice stated that the new policy will enable improvement in Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), increase access to higher education, flexibility for the students and HEIs, better utilisation of infrastructure, attract international students and streamline collaboration of Indian HEIs with foreign institutions, nonetheless, the concern is planning and execution.

What can be the benefits, especially concerning students? 

Post the implementation of this policy, students will be admitted twice an academic year. This will be in the interest of many students especially for those who have missed admission in the July/August session. The delay in the announcement of board results and other issues like personal reasons, health problems, sub-optimal or ambiguous career choices can now be addressed by admitting students after six months in January/February. Apart from all these issues, biannual university admissions will motivate students and increase accessibility since they do not have to wait for one full year to get admission to the new session. Campus placements and hiring by the companies may also be done biannually, like admissions. This will improve employment opportunities for students.

How challenging the implementation part is going to be? What are the other issues?

Acknowledging the complexity and geographically and technologically uneven playing fields for Indian HEIs, it is parti pris decision without taking the views of the stakeholders. India has remote universities and colleges. Particularly, the state universities are already facing obstinate problems like lack of teaching faculties and infrastructure. This is severely affecting the implementation of the 4-year UG courses under the CBCS system. How this new pronouncement by the UGC, is going to be implemented in these universities/colleges without addressing their concerns? Though the decision is not mandatory for HEIs, students will be going to demand it. Before the implementation of this decision in universities and colleges, adequate infrastructure and faculty/staff requirements need to be fulfilled. Universities/Colleges have to work on their administrative issues, manpower requirements and infrastructure to support admissions twice a year. Technology can play a key role in this direction. HEIs have to work on internal academic council/executive approval and consistent support systems for the seamless transition of students.

Any predictions for the post-implementation phase?

It is expected that the global competitiveness of Indian HEIs will improve and will be aligned with the global educational standards as pointed out by the UGC chairman. This new system will replace traditional single entry in the HEIs which could help in attracting more diverse students making education more vibrant and robust. This policy is also aligned with the NEP 2020, making higher education more flexible. It would be a transformative and dynamic student-friendly policy approach that would unlock the promising future of Indian education. Biannual admissions have the potential to transform the Indian education system and make it more adaptable, receptive and inclusive addressing the needs of the students.

Upasana .

BW Reporters The author works as a Senior Copy Editor with BW Businessworld and currently handles the education vertical. She has done her Post Graduate Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (NER Campus, Aizawl).