Academic Credit Bank

Academic Credit Bank

Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III – Infrastructure 

In news On the first anniversary of the National Education Policy (NEP), the Central government shall officially roll out some initiatives promised in the policy, such as a credit transfer system that will allow multiple entry and exit options in higher education, as well as engineering programmes in regional languages. 

• However, other promised reforms such as the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), the four-year undergraduate degree, and the common university entrance test, have been delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic.

What are the initiatives that will be rolled out?

• The Academic Bank of Credit will be rolled out for students in over 290 top institutions from the current academic year 2021-22 onwards. All institutions in the top 100 of the National Institutional Ranking Framework as well as those who have achieved an A grade under the NAAC will be allowed to participate in the credit transfer system, which will also allow multiple entry and exit options for students.
• Multidisciplinarity will be issued with guidelines to allow the merger of institutes to give students the choice of taking subjects such as social sciences, music and sports while pursuing engineering, or to get a minor degree in emerging areas while majoring in a different subject.
• Engineering degrees in regional languages in about 14 smaller institutions. 
• Establishment of the National Digital Education Architecture and National Education Technology Forum.
• Vidya Pravesh, a three-month play-based school preparation module for Class 1 students which gains greater importance now since pre-schools, nurseries and anganwadis are closed due to COVID-19 pandemic. 
• A competency-based assessment framework for Classes 3, 5 and 8 will also be announced for students of the CBSE. 

News Source: TH