New Delhi:  The University Grants Commission, the regulator for Higher Education in India, has approved the credit limits for online courses (on SWAYAM platform) from 20% to 40%. This step which will enable students to safely attend online courses and get it utilized while attending physical classes.

With growing importance of online learning and online courses amid COVID 19 pandemic, the UGC has doubled the academic credit limit for SWAYAM online courses from 20% to 40%.  It is aimed at benefitting lifelong learners, students, teachers, researchers to use multimedia on anytime, anywhere basis for acquiring knowledge and skills.

New Education Policy 2020 has proposed to set up an Academic Bank of Credits (ABC). An Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) would digitally store the academic credits earned from various recognized universities and institutes so that the degrees from an Higher Educational Institute can be awarded taking into account credits earned.

Keeping in mind the present situation of COVID-19, the Chairman, University Grants Commission has constituted an Expert Committee to map the existing developed MOOCs and identify gap areas where courses need to be developed under SWAYAM as per UGC model CBCS curriculum.

In this regard, in the first phase it is proposed to develop 171 UG MOOCs courses in six subjects of Humanities and Social Science viz. History, Political Science, Commerce, Sociology, Public Admin and Anthropology and invite “Expression of Interest” from Higher Education Institutions and academicians to develop high quality MOOCs in these identified areas comparable to international standards.