It has become imperative to establish and formalize a national credit accumulation and transfer system that will integrate both general and vocational education while ensuring the mobility of candidates. National Education Policy 2020 emphasizes the integration of general (academic) education, vocational learning, and experiential learning, including relevant experience and levels, acquired.

The National Credit Framework (NCrF) has been jointly developed by UGC, AICTE, NCVET, NIOS, CBSE, NCERT, Ministry of Education, DGT, and Ministry of Skill Development. NCrF is a comprehensive framework encompassing elementary, school, higher, and vocational education & training.

The National Credit Framework (NCrF) shall be an inclusive umbrella Framework to integrate the credits earned through school education, higher education, and vocational & skill education. For the creditisation and integration of all learning, the National Credit Framework shall encompass the qualification frameworks for higher education, vocational & skill education, and school education.

The implementation of NCrF would be a game changer in realizing the vision and intent of the National New Education Policy (nNEP) by removing distinctions, ensuring flexibility and mobility, and establishing an academic equivalence between general and vocational education. Such integration shall open numerous options for further progression of students and inter-mingling of school & higher education with vocational education & Experiential learning.

The National Credit Framework (NCrF) provides for broad-based, multi-disciplinary, holistic education. It has been built on the strength of existing regulations, guidelines, and qualification frameworks. The options for Multiple Entry-Multiple Exit (ME-ME) are accessible and applicable across higher education, school education, and vocational education.

The National Credit Framework (NCrF) provides for the assignment, accumulation, storage, transfer, and redemption of credits. The NCrF paves the way for multidisciplinary education and empowers students through flexibility in the choice of courses. It also supports educational acceleration for students with gifted learning abilities and recognition of prior learning.

The total number of hours for the assignment of credits across school education, higher education, and vocational education/skilling has been agreed to be 1200 hours per year. For credit calculations under National Credit Framework (NCrF), 30 notional learning hours will be counted as one Credit.

NCrF recognizes no hard separation between different areas of learning, i.e., arts and sciences, vocational and academic streams, and curricular and extracurricular. In the true spirit of National Education Policy 2020, the total learning hours can be credited, subject to assessment.

Under the National Credit Framework (NCrF) every learned skill can be credited subject to assessment. The credit levels to be assigned across school, higher, vocational education, and skills (independent of the streams, subjects, etc.) will be based on the cumulative numbers of years of learning with assessment.

Assessment Bands are the stages at which a learner needs to be formally assessed for progression in academic, vocational, or skills-based streams. The NCrF Credits for the two courses/qualifications/programs may be added to each other and accumulated in ABC if they are earned in the same assessment band, subject to the guidelines of the respective regulators.

NCrF credit levels for school education are up to level 4, while for higher education they range from Level 4.5. to level 8.

The total credit points earned by a student could be obtained by multiplying the credits earned by the NCrF Level at which the credits have been earned. The credit points can be redeemed for entry or admission in school, higher, technical, or vocational education programs or courses at multiple levels.

An Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) could digitally store the academic and other credits earned from recognized institutions so that credits could be redeemed and awards granted. ABC could also be linked to DigiLocker for easy verification and portability. The bank could include credits earned through school education, vocational education, apprenticeships, internships, project work, etc.

Assignment of credits has been enabled for online, digital, and blended learning in vocational education and skills training. This would help in overcoming the constraints of physical infrastructure and scalability. The blended learning option shall also enhance the accessibility of learning in 90% non-English medium students as well as for Divyangs.

India's National Credit Framework (NCrF) aims to encourage the internationalization of education by enabling wider international equivalence, recognition, and acceptance of Indian education and skilling by other countries. NCrF also aims to promote exchange with foreign universities and institutions through credit transfer provisions.

There would be only one credit framework for higher education, school education, and skill education. Qualifications for school, higher education, and skills would be an addendum to NCrF and aligned with it. The basic principles and provisions of the National Credit Framework (NCrF) would apply to all the qualification frameworks.

The NCrF empowers institutions with the required flexibility to cater to their specific academic requirements for creating imaginative and flexible curricula structures, creative combinations of disciplines, and other special needs. Universities, INIs, CBSE, NIOS, State School Boards, State Technical Education Boards, etc.

There would be only one credit framework for higher education, school education, and skill education. The qualification frameworks for schools, higher education, and skills would be part of an addendum to NCrF. The basic principles and provisions of the National Credit Framework (NCrF) would apply to all the qualification frameworks.

NCrF will enable the transformation of India by providing high-quality education opportunities integrated with effective skills to reap the demographic dividend, making education and skilling truly aspirational. NCrF aims to establish a benchmark for holistic education and learning integrated with skills, by removal of barriers, infusion of flexibility, and creating lifelong learning opportunities.

School Education

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) follows the following credit system for students who wish to study subjects outside the regular school curriculum.

i. Each subject is assigned 240 hours for self-study. Total 5 subjects are required at the Secondary and Senior Secondary level which makes it of 1200 hours and 40 credits in one year

ii. 1 credit is equivalent to 30 hours of total study i.e. each subject is of 8 credits.

Higher Education

I. Choice-based credit system (CBCS) by UGC

Under the CBCS system, the requirement for awarding a degree, diploma, or certificate is prescribed in terms of the number of credits to be earned by the students. This framework is being implemented in several universities across several states in India. The main highlights of CBCS are listed below:

• The CBCS provides flexibility in assigning credits to students based on their grades, subject matter, and learning hours.
• The CBCS allows students to take courses of their choice, learn at their own pace, and earn more than the required credits.
• Additionally, CBCS offers students the chance to move up the educational ladder from bachelor to master's and doctoral programs.

You can access the comprehensive Choice Based Credit System Guidelines at

https://ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/8023719_Guidelines-for-CBCS.pdf

II.  Skill assessment matrix for vocational advancement of youth  (SAMVAY) by AICTE

The scheme on Skill Assessment Matrix for Vocational Advancement of Youth (SAMVAY) is a credit framework for skill-based vocational courses which was launched by MHRD. SAMVAY defines the rules for credit allotment and follows the NSQF regulatory framework while stating the credit assessment requirements for skills.

The following formula may be used for the credit calculation in general education courses:

I. General Education credit refers to the unit by which the coursework is measured. One credit is equivalent to one hour of teaching [lecture or tutorial] or two hours of practical work/field work per week. One credit would mean the equivalent of 14–15 hours of theory or 28–30 hours of workshop/lab work.

II. One Credit is equivalent to 14-15 periods of 60 minutes each, for theory, or 28-30 periods of workshop/labs and tutorials;

III. The credit weighting for internship/field work is 50% of that for lectures/tutorials for equivalent hours;

IV. The credit weightage for equivalent study hours for self-learning, whether based on electronic content or not, is 50% or less of that for lectures and tutorials.

The credit breakdown with regard to the general education component is as shown in the table below for ease of calculation:

Table1: Break-Up of Credits 

The credits regarding the skill component may be awarded in terms of NSQF certification, which will have more than 50% weightage of the total credits of the course. This is based on the assessment in a manner prescribed by the concerned regulatory body.

The latest SAMVAY guidelines are available at :SAMVAY_1_.pdf (aicte-india.org)

III. Guidelines for delivering skill-based education under the National Skill Qualification Framework published by the UGC

Skills-based programs in which 30-40% of the total content is of a general nature and the remaining 60% (extendable up to 70%) is on skill development. In such programs, the following formula is used for the conversion of time into credit hours.

a. The skills component of a post-graduate degree should be at least 60% (extendable up to a maximum of 70%) of the total credits. The skills component should include hands-on training in laboratories and workshops, internships, apprenticeships, and other forms of hands-on training.

b. This will include subjects such as digital skills, critical thinking, problem-solving and environmental studies. The balance credits of the program, i.e., are designed to support students' development in all areas of study.

The detailed guidelines can be accessed at 6556003_Guidelines-for-providing-Skill-Based-

Education-under-NSQF.pdf (ugc.ac.in) and summary document at NSQF New Guidelines.pdf

(ugc.ac.in)

IV. Credits structure for autonomous institutions like IIT/IIMs

Autonomous institutions like IITs and IIMs in India are independent and each one has its unique credit system. There is a process of continuous evaluation of a student's performance or progress. Flexibility is allowed students to progress at an optimum pace suited to their ability or convenience.

Vocational education and Training/ Skilling

I. NATIONAL SKILLS QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORK (NSQF)

The National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) was notified on December 27, 2013, by the Ministry of Finance. The NSQF organizes qualifications into a series of 8 levels based on professional knowledge, professional skills, core skills, and responsibilities, in increasing order of complexity and competency. NSQF has resulted in the development of quality qualifications applicable both in school education and higher education. The NSQF is anchored by the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) and is implemented through the national Skills Qualification Committee (NSQC).

The   detailed   NSQF   notification   can   be   accessed at  https://www.ncvet.gov.in/nsqf-notification

Need For a National Credit Framework

The National Education Policy 2020 emphasizes the integration of general (academic) and vocational (vocational) education. Such integration shall enable desired reforms in the education and skilling systems. Integration would also lead to emphasizing the dignity of labor and the importance of various vocations.

To fulfil the vision of National Education Policy 2020, making education more holistic and effective and to lay the emphasis on the integration of general (academic) education and vocational education including Experiential learning including relevant experience and professional levels acquired it becomes imperative to establish and formalize a national credit accumulation and transfer system which will integrate both general & vocational education while ensuring mobility of candidates between the two systems.

The detailed National Education Policy is available at

https://ncert.nic.in/pdf/nep//NEP_2020.pdf

Advantages of National Credit Framework

1. Removal of Hard Separation Between General and Vocational education

Students should be allowed to choose subjects according to their interests irrespective of the nature of the course (academic or vocational). The proposed credit system will take into account the learning hours put in by a learner regardless of the stream of education (general or vocational).

2. Establishing Equivalence Between General and Vocational education and training/ skilling

Equivalency, in general, determines the level of education and number of years of study along with the upward progression following the candidate's field of study. It is understood that the evaluation of a curriculum followed by the holder of an educational award (certificate/diploma etc.) and its compatibility with the national education system are considered at parity.

3. Mobility Between and Within General and Vocational education and training/ Skilling

Eligibility criteria for various qualifications being implemented both in general and vocational education and training/skilling will be determined in terms of accumulated credit points. These credit points can be used to determine the eligibility for admission to various programs at multiple levels, subject to fulfillment of the broad principles laid down under the National Credit Framework (NCrF).

4. Enabling Provisions for Lifelong Learning Through Multiple Entry and Exit Options

The national credit framework will act as an enabler in this regard, and regulators will be required to define the entry and exit criteria of the programs being offered by them. This would also help in fragmenting an entire program into smaller units with due acknowledgment being given to each unit of learning.

The multiple entry and exit option or the lifelong learning will serve the following objectives:

·       Remove rigid boundaries and barriers from the way you interact with others.

·       There is no hard separation between different areas of study, i.e., arts and sciences, vocational and academic streams, curricular and extra-curricular for the assignment of credits and credit levels.

·       Offer inventive interdisciplinary fusions that would allow for multiple entries and exit points.

·       provide students with novel course options and flexible curriculum options in addition to specializations in particular disciplines.

·       Students at the University of Dundee will be able to choose their university degree course, with an option for mid-way course corrections, according to their talents and interests. It offers flexibility in the choice of courses to students to choose their learning trajectories and programs, thereby choosing their appropriate career path.

·       Every type of learning can now be credited subject to its assessment by an independent body, such as the Council for Graduate Studies (CgSciences). This means that students can earn degrees and certificates based on the weighted average of relevant experience and proficiency levels they have achieved.

·       Enable credit transfers and accumulation while also offering an evaluation.

·       The TBRB aims to promote recognition of non-formal and informal learning, including alternative and home-based learning, and online and distance learning.

·       Facilitate encashing credits earned against a qualification/ degree when the learner resumes his/her studies later in the year.

5. Integration and Mixing of Education, Skilling and Work Experience

The proposed credit framework provides for a comprehensive and practical approach to all dimensions of learning, i.e., academic education, skill development, and experiential learning. Such a seamless mixing of education, skills, and work experience would enable a student/learner to take full benefit of the option of multiple entry, multiple exit.

6. Enabling Educational Acceleration

The National Curriculum for Gifted and Talented (NCrF) aims to address the issues of grade/class skipping, early entrance to school or college, and subject-based acceleration. The NCrF also envisions it to be a competency framework that shall enable gifted learners with exceptional learning abilities/ capabilities/ competencies to move up the education and skilling ladder.