Option to switch between major and minor courses after the first year of a degree, guidance to decide on subjects to be taken, help to select electives – these are some of the student-friendly measures taken up by autonomous colleges in Mumbai to help students ease into the new four-year degree programme structure. After the declaration of the first merit list on Monday, degree admissions have started. Owing to the confusion over the new structure of the courses, colleges are coming up with flexible ways to help students ease into the new system. Autonomous colleges in the city have rolled out the four-year degree programmes prescribed under the National Education Policy. Dr. Ashok Wadia, Principal of the Jai Hind College, said, “Students need to know that the fourth year of this course will not be offered indiscriminately to all. Apart from their choice whether to pursue the fourth year of the new degree course, students also have to meet the required qualifying criterion which is in terms of their score.” At the time of admissions, many colleges are also offering students a chance to switch between their major and minor subjects at the end of the first year. “The first year of the course will be foundational learning in all subjects but it can definitely help a student understand which subject he/she is willing to take up as a major and they can accordingly make a final choice at the beginning of the second year. Thus, we have kept equal credits for major and minor in the first year,” said Dr. Wadia. A similar practice will be followed in some other autonomous colleges for students’ convenience. While students are confused between choosing major and minor subjects along with electives, colleges are counselling them on benefiting combinations of the subjects. Dr. Pooja Ramchandani, Principal of H R College, said, “Major and minor subjects will be from the same faculty for the students. Whereas an elective can be picked from other faculties. But many students are likely to select electives complementing their specialisation course and so colleges are working on offering such courses.” Dr. Anushree Lokur, Principal of the Ramnarain Ruia College, said, “Students are confused about the use of taking an elective course which may not be related to their course subject. Students are used to the traditional structure of three main subjects for degree education.”
