Governments have traditionally introduced numerous schemes to support students in their academic pursuits. Yet, there has been a lack of attention given to students whose education has been interrupted or left incomplete for various reasons, be it familial or economic. The consideration of whether there would be any record of incomplete studies was often overlooked. However, the Modi government transformed this system and introduced a platform that tracks students’ progress not only on an annual basis but also on a semester-by-semester scale.
The Modi government introduced the New Education Policy (NEP) in 2020, bringing forth a digital system. Under this, a digital record of all the students in the Indian higher education space will be maintained, allowing an opportunity for those who had to discontinue their studies to resume without any hassle. This scheme is known as the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC). Recently, the University Grants Commission informed that over 3 crore students (3.17 crore) from across the country have already registered for this scheme. This number is expected to increase further in the coming times.
Over three crore students from across the country have so far registered for the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), according to the University Grants Commission.#ABVPAndhraPradesh #abvpvoice pic.twitter.com/2WzJLZG87p
— ABVP – Andhra Pradesh (@ABVP4AP) January 4, 2024
The distinctive feature of this system is that registered students of undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses can make multiple entries or exits in any college. They do not need to collect documents from various places. With just one click, they can obtain information about admission to the same course in another college. Additionally, they will not be required to study the same semester again in case they had discontinued their studies.
All student data on this government portal will remain secure. In simple terms, this platform will function like a commercial bank, where the customers are students, and instead of money, credits for courses are deposited. When students wish to redeem these credits, it can also be done easily.
Under this scheme, if a student completes one full year, it will not be considered that they dropped the course midway; instead, they will be awarded a certificate. Similarly, upon completing two years, they will receive a diploma, and after three years, they will be granted a degree.
#NEP2020
— Ministry of Education (@EduMinOfIndia) July 29, 2020
🟠The UG degree will have multiple exit options.🟠
An Academic Bank of Credit shall be established which would digitally store the academic credits earned from various recognized HEIs so that the degrees from an HEI can be awarded taking into account credits earned. pic.twitter.com/yf5h2ai6UI
Students who had to opt out mid-way in their academic careers, can resume their studies from where they left at a later stage and a time of their choosing. They can present those documents and continue by redeeming credits. But the most crucial aspect is that students need to register in the Academic Bank of Credits scheme for this facility.
After that, the student needs to be reassured about their documents. As of now, around 1693 academic institutions (universities, INIs) are registered under this portal. In addition, the UGC is consistently urging every university to enroll students on this platform and pay equal attention to their data.
To avail the facility of the Academic Bank of Credits, students have to follow the following steps.
• First students have to log in to www.abc.gov.in, afterward they would have to go on to the My Account section.
• Then students will need to create an account through DigiLocker that requires a mobile number or an Aadhaar number.
• In the next step, students will have to enter the security PIN, which they will receive on their phone.
• With this, a student’s account will be created.
• After this, the student will get a unique ID and password, through which the candidate can log in anytime.
• By using their ABC ID, students will be able to see all the courses and their credit scores.
• They can simply select the course information they need to transfer and share it further.
• They can redeem the credit kept in their account for seven years.
• With its help it will be easier for students in the Indian higher education space to study further.
- In the ABC system, the student won’t need to provide any documents from their end. The information provided by the higher institute will be entered into its feed.
• Through this, students can take admission in courses, including both online and distance mode courses. Everyone’s credit scores will be linked to the platform.
• On this portal, in addition to all the courses of UGC-approved higher institutes, engineering, medical, dental, law, and other professional courses are also covered.
This is not an election-year scheme
It is important to note that the ABC scheme was launched in 2021, a year after the introduction of NEP 2020. The concept behind it is to provide students with a platform where they can access information about all their credits in one place. The special thing about this platform is that whether students have pursued an offline course or an online one, they don’t need to update anything separately.
Additionally, the ABC Regulations aim to promote a blended learning approach, enabling students to accumulate credits from diverse Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) participating in this initiative, as well as through SWAYAM, an online platform offering a variety of courses. Under this framework, a student has the flexibility to earn up to 50% of the credits from institutions other than the one where they are currently pursuing their degree or diploma program.
The educational institution itself will share students’ credit scores on this platform. If during this period, studies are discontinued, students will receive documents based on their credits, assisting in admission for the next year or semester within 7 years. The noteworthy aspect is that it is not necessary to pursue the next semester from the same place. If students have earned credits for a semester from Delhi University, and they are capable of pursuing the next one from Indraprastha University, they can resume their studies as per their suitability.
India is transforming with the efforts of the Modi government
It is noteworthy that at a time when the Lok Sabha elections are approaching, and the opposition is continuously trying to find flaws in the policies of the Modi government, it is essential to know that 10 years of Modi government has not only developed the country by initiating major projects but has also worked on strengthening the youth through various small steps.
Practically speaking, when we look at the use of ABC today, through such a scheme, women who faced pressure to get married and had their education interrupted can now complete their studies. Alternatively, men who had aspirations for higher education but had to divert their paths towards employment due to family responsibilities can also benefit from it. Young individuals who, due to the influence of their surroundings, drop out of education at a certain age and later realize that completing their studies could have led to better opportunities in life, can also take advantage of this.
