Upcoming UGC Frameworks

It so appears that the University Grants Commission #UGC is coming up with several #frameworks for undergraduate programmes. While the #newspaper articles reveal that the UGC is likely to provide these frameworks for #public #evaluation and #feedback, it is #imperative to understand that the #principal #stakeholder of these are the #students, and any #omission of them in the policy would cause major #damages to the next #generation. In this regard, here are my two cents on what could also be #integrated into the frameworks (#suggestions)

(a) All undergraduate programmes should promote the spirit of #scientific #inquiry , #criticalthinking and #social #innovation, in the light of #human #values and #social #welfare.

(b) Undergraduate programmes in the domains of #Engineering and #Technology shall #reinforce the requirement of a #strong #foundation in the domains of #mathematics and #basic #sciences. Further, in order to deal with stochasticity/uncertainty in #engineering systems, #statistics shall be a must in the curriculum.

(c) The UGC shall provide a framework on who can recommend the #modifications in the contents of the syllabus or pedagogy. It has come to light that certain organisations are engaging non-achievers either in industry and / or academics to recommend modifications in the #curricular contents.

(d) The UGC shall make sure that the entire built-up floor-space, the #approved numbers of each of the #programmes, and the total numbers of the programmes are #commensurate with each other. In this regard, the UGC shall appoint a state-wise watchdog/watch committee which shall monitor all universities whether #public or #private.

(e) The UGC shall ensure that online #commercial #MOOC platforms are NOT used as a #partial or #full #academic #credit #transfer mechanisms, OR shall provide a list of approved and #pedagogically standardised MOOC platforms (like #NPTEL), with quality markers.

#university #pedagogy #universities #quality #highereducation #highered