With just a few months left for its four-year degree programmes to take off, the Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), Kottayam, is all set to begin the final screening of its draft syllabus for the new courses.
According to the varsity authorities, the scrutiny of the draft syllabus prepared by the subject experts for the various study programmes will begin on January 31. As many as 48 screening committees, comprising subject experts, outcome based learning experts, heads of the postgraduate and undergraduate study boards and so on, have been constituted to scrutinise the syllabus for the 56 degree programmes.
The screening committee will asses each paper for its content, potential for skill development, and method of learning assessment. The final evaluation will be done according to the nature of each subject, as different from the existing uniform examination system. While some subjects will have just practical examinations, the assessment of some others will be done without examination.
According to C.T. Arvindakumar, varsity’s Vice-Chancellor, the scrutiny of ten study programmes will be carried out simultaneously and the entire screening process will draw to a close by February 10. The final syllabus will be given an approval during a meeting of the varsity academic council and along with the syllabus, the basic framework of arrangements too will be completed by next month so as to kick start the admission process in a time-bound manner.
He also spoke of the plans to build a customised information technology framework for the four-year courses in due time.
Biju Pushpan, a member of the varsity Syndicate tasked with implementing the new course structure, said the new syllabus have been prepared for the courses currently conducted by the university.
“There will be a provision for continuous improvisations on the syllabus and it will be possible to skip or even include some papers and start programmes from scratch,” he said.
“The colleges affiliated to the varsity will also have the opportunity to prepare new study programmes and implement them with the approval of the board of studies,’’ Mr. Pushpan added.
Under the new course structure, a student enrolled in a course can shift the study programme, college, and even the university, subject to certain conditions.
To facilitate this transition, 10% additional seats will be introduced in the second year of a course. Students who have secured certain credits in the seventh semester will be able to graduate with an honours degree.
