| The University Grants Commission (UGC) has given in and allowed the Indian Institute of Science (IISC), Bangalore, to continue with its four-year undergraduate programme. However, there are some changes to the course as students admitted to the Bachelor of Science (BS) programme, will now be granted a BSc degree after completion of the third year of the course and a BSc research degree on completion of the fourth year of the programme.
IISc Director Anurag Kumar said that he was pleased with the decision and that the issue had been resolved amicably and professionally. "The students are actually happier. It will now be called BSc," said Kumar.
Earlier this week, the UGC had asked the institute to discontinue its four-year BS programme. The UGC had asked the premier research institute to discontinue its four-year BS programme on the ground that it was in violation of the 10+2+3 pattern. The IISc had asked UGC to review its decision.
Human Resourse Development (HRD) minister Smriti Irani had disclosed the UGC's directive to the IISc while answering a written question in the Lok Sabha on August 6. The IISc, however, later approached the commission with a detailed clarification that the programme was not a general undergraduate course in science but a degree in research.
According to a ministry official, the IISc also proposed to change the nomenclature and scheme of the programme making it a three-year course for BSc degree and four-year BSc research degree.
"The UGC has agreed to the institute's proposal," the official said. The IISc, which is a deemed university under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, has been offering a four-year undergraduate programme in science (BS) since 2011. |