HP to introduce 4-year degree programmes in 29 govt colleges

Kullu: Marking a departure from the traditional three-year undergraduate system, the Himachal Pradesh govt has decided to introduce four-year degree programmes in 29 govt colleges from the 2026-27 academic session under the National Education Policy (NEP).According to a notification issued by Rakesh Kanwar, secretary, education, 26 govt degree colleges with enrolment exceeding 1,500 students will offer four-year undergraduate degree programmes with ‘Honours' and ‘Honours with Research', while three colleges with enrolment between 1,000 and 1,500 will offer four-year ‘Honours' programmes.The notification states that the ‘Honours with Research' programme will be offered only in colleges that meet prescribed academic and faculty requirements, including the availability of two PhD supervisors.Of the 29 govt colleges selected for four-year undergraduate programmes under the NEP 2020, seven are located in Kangra, the highest among all districts, followed by five in Shimla, four in Mandi and three in Una.Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Sirmaur and Solan have two colleges each, and Chamba and Kullu have one college each among the institutions approved for the programme.Kangra, Shimla and Mandi will thus be the principal hubs for the state's initial rollout of four-year undergraduate education under the NEP framework.The remaining 91 govt colleges and DAV College, Kotkhai, Shimla, a grant-in-aid college, will continue to offer the three-year undergraduate programmes, underscoring a phased implementation of the NEP reforms in the state.The notification reveals that the govt also decided to merge nine govt degree colleges having student strength below 75 with colleges located at district headquarters. Among these, Govt Degree College Kukumseri in the tribal Lahaul and Spiti district will be merged with Govt Degree College Kullu.To address concerns of students affected by the mergers, the govt announced a monthly stipend of Rs 5,000 for those required to shift to district headquarters for pursuing their studies. The annual expenditure on the monthly stipend for students affected by the merger of colleges is estimated at Rs 1.91 crore.The notification also extends permission to selected govt Sanskrit colleges and grant-in-aid institutions to offer four-year undergraduate programmes under the new framework, subject to conditions.The notification stated that three Sanskrit colleges in Phagli, Sundernagar and Nahan would offer the four-year undergraduate degree programme with ‘Honours' and ‘Honours with Research' in the core Sanskrit disciplines of Sahityacharya, Darshnacharya, Jyotishcharya, Vyakarancharya and Vedacharya.Four grant-in-aid colleges – St Bede's College, Shimla; DAV College Kangra; MLSM College, Sundernagar; and SVSD College, Bhatoli – have been permitted to offer the four-year programme, provided the programme is managed within the existing sanctioned strength and without any additional financial aid.The Union govt approved the NEP in July 2020. A month later, the then chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur, announced the policy's implementation, making Himachal the first state in the country to do so.Besides modifying the academic 10+2 structure of school education, the policy aims at a complete overhaul of higher education and transforming higher educational institutions into large multidisciplinary universities, colleges and knowledge hubs.As per the policy, there will be multidisciplinary universities and colleges, at least one in every district, that offer a medium of instruction in Indian languages, and a multidisciplinary institution of higher learning will offer graduate and undergraduate programmes with high-quality teaching, research and community engagement. Lahaul-Spiti MLA writes to CM, opposes mergerLahaul-Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana has urged chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu not to allow the merger of Govt Degree College, Kukumseri, with Govt College, Kullu, arguing that educational institutions in the tribal district could not be judged solely on student enrolment.In a letter to the CM, Rana said Kukumseri was the only college serving a vast, remote population in the Lahaul valley, and that merging it with a distant college would cause serious hardship for students, particularly girls and those from economically weaker sections.Citing Lahaul-Spiti's difficult terrain, scattered habitations, harsh winters and limited connectivity, the legislator stated that many students could be forced to discontinue higher education due to travel difficulties and additional financial burden.Seeking a special relaxation from the prescribed norms, Rana requested the govt to allow the college to continue functioning independently in view of the district's unique geographical and strategic importance.MSID:: 131586801 413 |