Kolkata: For unitary universities like Jadavpur University (JU) and Presidency University (PU), this academic year marks a 'zero year' for postgraduate programmes, as they transition from a two-year PG programme to a one-year PG structure in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Impact of the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme
Since these universities are currently running a four-year undergraduate (UG) programme as per NEP 2020, the fourth-year batch of the UG course is equivalent to the first year of the old PG system. Consequently, no admissions will be offered to postgraduate courses this year.
Students who enrolled in the four-year UG programme in 2023 are set to graduate in 2027. While JU did not provide an exit option after three years, PU offered such an option, but no students opted to exit any course upon completing their third year.
Contrasting Approach at Rabindra Bharati University
Meanwhile, Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) will continue to admit students to its two-year master's programme this year, specifically for those who choose to exit the four-year UG programme after three years.
Presidency Registrar Debajyoti Konar explained, “Like most unitary universities, it is a ‘zero-year’ for PG programmes in the Presidency University departments that are running their four-year UG courses. In those cases, one-year PG programmes will commence from next year. However, stand-alone interdisciplinary PG programmes in emerging areas like astrophysics, molecular biotechnology, virology, and immunology, which have no bachelor programme as a base, can continue to run as a two-year PG programme.”
Jadavpur University's Stance
A JU official stated, “There will be no admission to the master's programme of both day and evening courses this year due to the 4+1 system as per NEP 2020. We do not have any student graduating this year to take admission in master's. They are in their UG fourth year and will graduate in 2027. So we will admit students to a one-year PG programme from 2027.”
JU Bengali professor Rajyeswar Sinha added, “It is difficult for a unitary university to simultaneously provide a one-year PG course and a two-year PG course due to space issues and teaching load. As most students across the state are in four-year UG programmes, skipping PG admission this year will not be an issue.”
Rabindra Bharati University's Plan
An RBU official said, “For those students who will exit after completing their third year, the two-year master's programme will be kept open. Admission to the master's courses in arts, fine arts, and visual arts will begin in August.”
