UGC amends regulation, brings all institutions under ABC platform

Jan. 16: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has brought all higher education institutions under the Academic Bank of Credit  (ABC)system by amending its ABC Regulations from 2019. The Academic Bank of Credits system will help students to switch between institutions and programmes.

Earlier, only educational institutions having A grade by NAAC or higher were eligible to join the ABC platform. Now, all universities, colleges and autonomous educational institutions, irrespective of their National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) rating and National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranks, are eligible to participate in the ABC system. Under this system, student will open a unique Academic Bank Account in digital form; and the account holder shall be provided with a unique ID and access to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).

No credit course document will be accepted directly from the students for any course they might be pursuing, but only from higher education institutes, who tend to make deposits in the accounts of students.

In line with the National Education Policy, or NEP 2020, this ABC system intends to provide greater degree of flexibility and easier access to multidisciplinary education. The ABC system, a virtual repository of credits, will give students the opportunity to choose preferred courses at a preferred time with multiple entry and exit points. Students will be required to open an “academic bank account” to be able to choose courses and preferred institutions. The credits collected by students will hold a shelf life of up to seven years. However, each participating institution will make its own rules on how a degree will be granted under the ABC system. So far, 18 higher educational institutions have registered to implement the ABC system. The platform was launched by prime minister Narendra Modi on the first anniversary of NEP 2020.