NU restructures commerce UG syllabus in 1st step towards NEP

Nagpur: With an aim to effectively implement the National Education Policy (NEP), the Nagpur University has restructured the syllabus of its commerce faculty making all undergraduate programmes like BCom, BBA and BCCA more student-friendly and learner-centric, said commerce and management faculty dean Sanjay Kavishwar.
The new syllabus has many new features like mandatory internship, choice-based credit system (CBCS), skill-based courses, multiple exits and entries, multidisciplinary approach, and outcome-based education among others.
A notification issued by registrar Raju Hiwase mentioned that vice-chancellor had approved the restructuring along with a new scheme of examinations for all six semesters of these courses for implementation from the new academic session of 2022-23.
“It would be the first step by the university in NEP implementation wherein commerce faculty has taken the lead. Initially, the NEP would be implemented for first two semesters,” the dean said.
Among the key features introduced is mandatory internship that would provide bigger opportunities to learners for enriched experience to enhance their employability.
Under the CBCS, the students would be provided a wider choice of courses such as core, ability enhancement, generic electives and discipline-specific electives.
Additionally, a pool of skill-based courses — ‘advanced excel’, ‘Tally ERP’, ‘content writing’, and ‘financial market operations’ — would be offered in every semester. These courses are designed to inculcate specific skills in the learner which are sought by employers at the entry level.
The students would also have an option of credit transfer through which they would be allowed to opt out of any course (except core) and take a programme of their choice from any recognized online learning platform. Credits so earned by the students will be considered while determining their eligibility for the degree. A student will be free to earn maximum 50% credits from outside the curriculum provided by the university. This will allow higher flexibility and will address the issue of their customized learning needs.
A provision for multiple exits and entries has also been made. A student will be eligible for award of ‘certificate’ after first year, ‘diploma’ after second and ‘degree’ on completion of third year. They will also be allowed to rejoin the courses again in later years, subject to conditions.
Under the multidisciplinary approach, courses from various domains such sociology, psychology, and holistic development have been added to the courses to provide a student an opportunity to study various peripheral sciences of commerce and management.
Importantly, each course will have a scientifically designed outcome, expected to be attained by the learner on completion. “The focus is ‘what students will be able to do/perform’ and not ‘what students will know’. This will need a change in the mindset of students, teachers and evaluators and will also require some radical changes in the evaluation system,” said Kavishwar.
Key features of new NEP syllabus
* Mandatory internship — To provide bigger opportunities to students for enhancing their employability
* Choice-based credit system — Students to get a wider choice of courses such as core, ability enhancement, generic electives & discipline specific electives
* Skill-based courses — It would include ‘advanced excel’, ‘Tally ERP’, ‘content writing’, & ‘financial market operations’
* Credit transfer — Students to be allowed to opt out of any course (except core) & choose programme of their choice from any recognized online learning platform
* Multiple exits & entries — Students will be eligible for award of ‘certificate’ after 1st year, ‘diploma’ after 2nd & ‘degree’ after 3rd year
* Multidisciplinary approach — Courses from various domains such sociology, psychology & holistic development etc have been added
* Outcome-based education — Focus would be on ‘what students will be able to
do/perform’ and not ‘what students will know’