Will dual degree system benefit students?

In the spirit of New Education Policy-2020 which calls for multidisciplinary and flexible mode of education for all, UGC announced a dual degree programme for both UG and PG levels on April 12. The facility, available across all courses or combination of courses, is expected to help students get two degrees simultaneously and thus improve their employment opportunities. When The Hans India spoke to people on the issue, many agreed that benefits outweigh the demerits of the new system. However, some people urge the Central government to take measures to spread further awareness on NEP-2020.

The dual degree offers double benefits of learning, upskilling as well as career choices. It is like a High return on investment. Time-efficient, the optimised cost in terms of fees, education expenses, and increased opportunities to engage with academicians and professionals, are all features that will give an edge in this competitive job market. It makes the students acquire different skills in different ways shaping them into multi-talented individuals.

- Viswaraj Gadipe, Headmaster & Correspondent, Mary aided school Chinabarangi, Rampachodavaram, Alluri Sitharamaraju district

Ahead of the introduction of the dual degree system, I started pursuing both B.Sc and B.Tech out of my own interest. While studying B. Tech as a day scholar, I am also pursuing B.Sc. through correspondence course. Currently, I am studying third year B.Tech. Once I complete the course, I will be having a greater advantage during placement interviews because of my diverse expertise in diverse domains. The dual degree system is sure to be beneficial for those who aspire to embark on a prosperous career and grab better opportunities.

- Ch Aditya Sai Siddesh, student of Andhra University College of Engineering, Visakhapatnam

As per the National Education Policy 2020, the students will have a wonderful opportunity to pursue two UG or PG degrees together in either both physical modes or physical and online mode or both online modes from two different universities or under the same university. This provides students as much flexibility as possible and allows pursuing two degrees even in diverse fields that make them acquire skills altogether in different fields. For example, a student can pursue a degree in engineering and a second degree in fine arts like painting, dance, music, photography, acting etc., which enhances not only the career prospects but also the contentment and the joy in life. However, it is the responsibility of the student to plan more effectively in pursuing the two degrees, and not affect the quality of either one.

- Dr AV Bhaskar Rao, Director, RISE Krishna Sai Group of Institutions, Ongole

The dual courses policy being implemented by the Central government is very beneficial to the students. The students can pursue two courses simultaneously and can obtain two degrees at a time. It will save their time. Middle class students who can't afford huge amount of fees for the colleges can also do correspondence courses. I appreciate the decision of the government. As far as education is concerned, the students can pursue B Ed and other education related courses. Due to increasing literacy, various new courses are also available to the students who are eager to learn new subjects.

- Sk Kareemulla, SGT, Vijayawada