Colleges in Andhra Pradesh are set to reopen on November 2. The much-awaited academic calendar for 2020-21 put together by the AP State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) has been submitted to Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who will review the key components on Wednesday before a formal announcement.
“For the first time, admissions to all non-professional degree programmes will be done through a centralised window in online mode this year based on the students’ Intermediate marks,” said Council Chairman K. Hemachandra Reddy.
As part of the exercise, the Council had in June asked all degree colleges (government, aided and unaided, including autonomous and minority colleges) offering non-professional undergraduate courses, to furnish detailed information about their institutions on a specific format on its official website apsche.org to verify facts and accordingly allow admissions by the institutions.
Sources in the department said compilation of the data was imperative for clarity to emerge. A G.O. is expected to be released soon that will end all confusions, said an official.
New specifications
This academic calendar, being released after postponing it thrice in the past due to the uncertainly on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, has certain new specifications partly on account of lockdown and also as part of educational reforms in line with the new National Education Policy.
The new academic calendar has special provisions for the loss of teaching days due to the pandemic. Besides, introduction of four-year Bachelor degree for non-professional programmes with one full year (two semesters) of internship/on the job training/apprenticeship from the ensuing academic year.
CBSC
The Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) for non-professional degree programmes introduced in 2015 has been revised since it has completed five years of subsistence. “The revised CBCS has incorporated life skill courses and skill development courses (multi-disciplinary skills) and skill enhancement courses (domain skills). A 10-month mandatory internship along with community service is a new component,” said the official.
Besides proposing establishment of State Research Board to promote science and technology for scientific research and development, the Council has also constituted a committee to suggest policy measures for effective implementation of the recommendations of the National Education Policy 2020.
Promotion of interaction between industry and academia, working in coordination with the AP Skill Development Corporation, setting up a model colleges in each district of the State, establishment of a Cluster University, improving gross enrolment ration in higher education sector and increasing gender parity index are other focus areas of the Council.