The government of Karnataka has issued an order on Saturday, with regard to the implementation of National Education Policy-2020 with effect from the current academic year 2021-2022.

Dr C.N. Ashwatha Narayana, the minister of higher education, stated this after convening a meeting with officials of the department and state higher education council, on the day he was assigned the portfolio for the second time by the new chief minister Basavaraja Bommai.

With this Karnataka has become the first state in the country to issue the order with regard to implementation of NEP-2020, Narayana said.

Kumar Nayak, Additional chief secretary to higher education P. Pradeep, Commissioner, Dept of collegiate education, prof Thimmegowda vice chairman Karnataka higher education council and other senior officials were present.

The implementation will be done as per the guidelines of the NEP, he said.

Guidelines to implement NEP-2020:

The students joining BA or BSc degree courses should opt for two subjects (as Discipline Core) available in their respective colleges. At the start of the 3rd year of the course, they can opt for one subject as a major and another subject as a minor or they can study by opting for both as major subjects.

In addition to opting for two subjects as (Discipline Core), they need to choose Kannada and one more language as language subjects. Besides, they need to choose Open Electives and Discipline Electives as per curriculum structure. It has been directed to prepare a separate Kannada curriculum for those who have not studied Kannada in PUC or 10+2 level or for those whose mother tongue is not Kannada.

Opting (Discipline Core) subjects is not necessary for studying subject-based graduate courses such as B.Com, BCA, BBA, BVA, BPA, etc.

If the student discontinues, for any reason, after completing the first year of graduation (National Skills Qualifications Framework Level 5) by obtaining the necessary credits, he/she shall be given the certificate.

If the student discontinues, for any reason, after completing the second year of graduation (National Skills Qualifications Framework Level 6) by obtaining the necessary credits, he/she shall be given the Diploma Certificate.

If the student discontinues, for any reason, after completing the 3rd year of graduation (National Skills Qualifications Framework Level 7) by obtaining the necessary credits, he/she shall be awarded the Bachelors Degree.

If the 4th year of the course (National Skills Qualifications Framework Level 8) is available in the college in which the student has studied the earlier years, the study along with the chosen optional subjects can be continued to get awarded the Honours Degree. If Research Project is part of the course, such students will be eligible to directly go for PhD studies.

If there is no Honours Degree in the college in which the student had studied earlier years, the student can continue the studies by joining any other college where Honours Degree is available.

It is not mandatory for colleges to have Honours Degree.

Students can get a maximum of 40 per cent of the expected credits through official online courses.

The student can get a degree from the University of his/her choice by getting a minimum of 50 per cent credits from the respective university.

Any student should have fulfilled the necessary Pre-Requisite while choosing the subjects of Discipline Core, Open Electives, and Discipline Electives. (For example, while selecting Physics or Mathematics one should have studied those subjects in PUC or 10+2 grade. If not, they should have studied official Prerequisite Courses in the respective subjects.

Students can discontinue only after completion of even semesters and accordingly they can rejoin only for odd semesters.

Eligible colleges can have integrated courses of 5 years in addition to degrees of 3 years and honors degrees of 4 years. If any student discontinues after 3 years degree he/she will be awarded a Degree and after 4 years Honours Degree will be awarded.

Post Graduation will be of one year or two years. Those who have obtained Honours Degree will be eligible to study one year PG and those who have got Degree for 3 years of study will be eligible to join for 2 year PG.

If the student studying in the 2nd year of PG discontinues after getting prescribed credits set for the 1st year, he/she can be awarded the Post-Graduate Diploma.