NEW DELHI: Western educational institutions have successfully implemented a multi-entry and exit system, but Indian institutions are expected to encounter challenges, according to a report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth, and Sports. The committee, led by Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Thakur, presented its findings in the Upper House recently. The report highlights that the institutions have not thoroughly considered the potential issues and solutions when this system is put into practice.
The New Education Policy (NEP) introduces the concept of multi-entry and multi-exit options for students. While this system is well-established in Western education institutions, it may pose difficulties for Indian counterparts due to the country’s large student population, leading to a high annual intake in higher education.
“If institutions allow MEME (multiple entry and multiple exit), it would be very difficult for the institutions to predict how many students would exit and how many would join midway. Since institutions would not know the in- and out-traffic, it will certainly disturb the Pupil-Teacher Ratio,” the repot said.
The panel has noted that uneven geographical distribution of higher education institutions would create hurdles in managing MEME in several areas, mostly countryside.
“The institutions have not thought very clearly about this problem and how they will resolve it when it is at their doorstep,” it said.
According to the “Guidelines for Multiple Entry and Exit in Academic Programmes offered in Higher Education Institutions” issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC), flexible learning is important to choose one’s academic pathway leading to the award of certificate, diploma, and degree.
“There are occasions when learners have to give up their education mid-way for various reasons. The records of the clearance of credits for such incomplete academic programmes remain unaccounted. Some contingency approaches are followed in a few HEIs by allowing the learner to settle for a lower level of certification. Such rigid boundaries need to be removed to ensure zero-year-loss to students in the event of exiting in between,” the guidelines stated.
“It will reduce the drop-out rate, thus improving Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), which is one of the major objectives of the National Education Policy, (NEP), 2020. Flexible learning also facilitates lifelong learning. These objectives can be achieved on the principle of a multiple entry and exit system along with the opportunity of learning from anywhere, anytime,” according to the guidelines.
The New Education Policy (NEP) introduces the concept of multi-entry and multi-exit options for students. While this system is well-established in Western education institutions, it may pose difficulties for Indian counterparts due to the country’s large student population, leading to a high annual intake in higher education.
“If institutions allow MEME (multiple entry and multiple exit), it would be very difficult for the institutions to predict how many students would exit and how many would join midway. Since institutions would not know the in- and out-traffic, it will certainly disturb the Pupil-Teacher Ratio,” the repot said.
The panel has noted that uneven geographical distribution of higher education institutions would create hurdles in managing MEME in several areas, mostly countryside.
“The institutions have not thought very clearly about this problem and how they will resolve it when it is at their doorstep,” it said.
According to the “Guidelines for Multiple Entry and Exit in Academic Programmes offered in Higher Education Institutions” issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC), flexible learning is important to choose one’s academic pathway leading to the award of certificate, diploma, and degree.
“There are occasions when learners have to give up their education mid-way for various reasons. The records of the clearance of credits for such incomplete academic programmes remain unaccounted. Some contingency approaches are followed in a few HEIs by allowing the learner to settle for a lower level of certification. Such rigid boundaries need to be removed to ensure zero-year-loss to students in the event of exiting in between,” the guidelines stated.
“It will reduce the drop-out rate, thus improving Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), which is one of the major objectives of the National Education Policy, (NEP), 2020. Flexible learning also facilitates lifelong learning. These objectives can be achieved on the principle of a multiple entry and exit system along with the opportunity of learning from anywhere, anytime,” according to the guidelines.