The University Grants Commission (UGC) has finalized the National Higher Education Qualifications Framework (NHEQF), aiming to standardize qualifications and promote academic mobility. However, this move has sparked concerns due to multiple existing guidelines and frameworks, which can potentially cause confusion among stakeholders.
The National Higher Education Qualifications Framework: An Overview
The need to establish a specific framework for higher education qualifications started gaining traction worldwide in the late 1990s. Despite this global trend, India was without an NHEQF until recently. The Central Advisory Board of Education, in its 60th meeting in 2012, decided to assign the responsibility of formulating the NHEQF to the UGC.
The newly formulated NHEQF seeks to facilitate transparency and comparability of higher education qualifications at all levels. It is incorporated based on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which proposes a forward-looking vision for India’s higher education system.
Main Features of the NHEQF
The framework classifies education into eight levels. The first four are part of the National School Education Qualification Framework (NSEQF), while the latter four pertain to higher education qualifications. The NHEQF provides guidelines for developing and implementing study programs, including elements like curriculum design, pedagogy, assessment, and feedback.
The UGC’s credit framework document stipulates that each semester should have a minimum of 20 credits, with one credit involving 15 hours of direct and 30 hours of indirect teaching. This translates to a minimum of 900 hours of study per semester or around 10 hours a day.
The Issues Surrounding the NHEQF
Several issues surrounding the NHEQF have surfaced. One significant issue is the multiplicity of guidelines, with the UGC prescribing two separate frameworks: the NHEQF and the National Credit Framework. Additionally, higher education institutions need to implement the Academic Bank of Credits. The existence of these multiple regulations creates a layer of complexity around higher education qualifications.
There is also ambiguity in the framework. While it provides exit requirements, clear eligibility conditions, and pathways for program entrance at various levels are missing. This lack of clarity potentially leads to confusion among students and institutions.
Another point of concern is the inclusion of certain disciplines like agriculture, law, medicine, and pharmacy under separate regulators, despite the possibility of including them in the NHEQF.
The Influence of International Models
The NHEQF takes cues from the European Bologna process and Dublin descriptors, which aim to ensure the quality and comparability of higher education qualifications. However, India’s higher education system is more diverse and complex than its European counterparts.
Way Forward
Going forward, it may be beneficial to merge the NHEQF and the National Credit Framework into a single entity, thereby simplifying the qualification standards. More in-depth consultations with the states might help make the NHEQF more reflective of the diversity and complexity of India’s higher education system.
Furthermore, learning outcomes should be developed that account for socio-cultural and socio-economic factors. These outcomes should focus not just on employability but also on holistic personal and societal development.
Regular monitoring and evaluation of the NHEQF should also be established to allow necessary adjustments in response to changes in the higher education landscape.
Although the NHEQF has been finalized and implemented, there are areas that need further scrutiny and improvement. A comprehensive, inclusive, and robust framework can significantly contribute to the betterment of India’s higher education system.
