New Delhi
Starting from the upcoming academic session, over 300 universities in India will have the option to implement the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP). However, the choice to pursue FYUP or the traditional three-year undergraduate program will be at the discretion of the students. Under FYUP, students will earn a four-year undergraduate ‘UG Honours’ degree with research specialization. As of the current academic session 2023-24, FYUP has been adopted by approximately 150 universities across the country. According to the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Professor M. Jagadish Kumar, this number is expected to double in the next academic session. The FYUP was introduced by 105 universities at the start of the 2023-24 academic session, including central universities, state-level universities, deemed universities, and private universities. With the expansion, the list of universities implementing this program has grown to 150. Under the FYUP framework, students have the flexibility to pursue either a three-year undergraduate degree or a four-year Honours degree in line with the provisions of the National Education Policy (NEP). Completion of 120 credits will result in a three-year UG degree, while achieving 160 credits in four years will lead to the FYUP Honours degree. Students interested in research specialization will be required to undertake a research project within the four-year undergraduate program, granting them an Honours degree with research specialization. This new draft of the FYUP is seen as a beneficial option for students aspiring to pursue higher education abroad. The number of Indian students seeking education abroad has been steadily increasing, with a significant number of students heading to countries like Canada, Germany, Australia, the United States, and Italy.
