Madras University uploads guide on NEP-linked academic bank credit
ABC is a digital system that stores credits earned by students throughout their academic journey. It allows students to transfer credits between programs and institutions and helps them meet degree requirements.
CHENNAI: With the Tamil Nadu government opposing Academic Bank Credit (ABC), proposed by the University Grants Commission as a part of the National Education Policy (NEP), the state-run University of Madras has released a step-by-step guide about ABC for both institutions and students to create awareness.
ABC is a digital system that stores credits earned by students throughout their academic journey. It allows students to transfer credits between programs and institutions and helps them meet degree requirements.
As per National Education Policy 2020, the ABC has been envisaged to facilitate the academic mobility of students with the freedom to study across the Higher Education Institutions in the country with an appropriate ‘credit transfer’ mechanism from one programme to another, leading to attain a degree, diploma and PG-diploma.
Quoting the expert committee recommendations in the State Education Policy (SEP), which was submitted to the Tamil Nadu government, a senior official said that ABC proposed by the UGC will not be implemented in the state universities till the system matures with transparency and free flow of information about courses to the students.
The official, seeking anonymity, said that ABC, especially for the institutions, will have several disadvantages for institutions, including increased costs, workload changes, and challenges with implementation. "Adding more seats for students in the universities and colleges could increase costs," he said, adding the management of the institutions will have to spend money on updating their curriculum to meet the needs of the ABC.
Claiming that colleges situated in remote places may be ignored because only National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)-graded institutions can join the ABC, he said "there will possibly be conflicts of interest between states when restructuring policies to enable ABC".
However, a senior professor from the University of Madras said that all the students needed to create ABC-ID, who was to pursue correspondence courses.
Claiming that the ABC initiative was approved by the university's syndicate, the highest decision-making body, he said all the state-run universities including Anna University were adopting ABC for its students.
"The universities also got the permission from the Higher Education Department authorities," he said adding, "If ABC was not created for the students, the UGC will not approve the admission". He also pointed out that the universities would not get revenue if ABC was not adopted.
