4-year undergraduate programmes to be launched on July 1

JULY 1 will mark a significant stride in Kerala’s higher education landscape as the State initiates its much-anticipated four-year degree programmes across all universities, reports The Hindu.

The government will formally launch the academic reform with a statewide celebration of a ‘Vignanotsavam’ festival, akin to the ‘Vidyarambham’ at schools, during which new students will be welcomed to their colleges by their seniors, faculty members, alumni, and people’s representatives.

Orientation sessions will later be conducted to acquaint the batch with the features of the four-year degree programme, Higher Education Minister R. Bindu said at a press conference here on Friday.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will officiate the inauguration of the four-year undergraduate programmes at a function that will be held at the Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram. The function will be streamed live across all campuses.

Antony Raju, MLA, Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran, Kerala State Higher Education Council vice-chairperson Rajan Gurukkal and Kerala University Vice-Chancellor in-charge Mohanan Kunnummal will also participate in the function.

The four-year degree programmes, Dr. Bindu pointed out, will have a two-pronged approach combining manpower development and research initiatives, aimed at elevating the State’s higher education system to global standards.

A uniform academic calendar has already come into effect with the launch of the admission process for the new academic year.