University Grants Commission (Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) Regulations, 2021

University Grants Commission (Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) Regulations, 2021[1]

[25th March, 2021]

In exercise of powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 26 read with clause (j) of Section 12 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 (3 of 1956) and in supersession of the UGC (Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through SWAYAM) Regulations, 2016, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the University Grants Commission hereby makes the following regulations, namely:—

Regulation - 1. Short title and commencement.

(1)     These regulations may be called the University Grants Commission (Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) Regulations, 2021.

(2)     They shall come into force from the date of their publication in the official Gazette.

Regulation - 2. Application.

These regulations shall apply to,—

(a)      all universities established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, Provincial Act or State Act as referred to under clause (f) of Section 2 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, institution or college recognised by or affiliated to such universities and an institution deemed to be university under Section 3 of the said Act.

(b)      the transfer of credits of such students who are enrolled in any higher education institution in India.

Regulation - 3. Definitions.

(1)     In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(a)      “academic council” means the academic council of the university or institution deemed to be a university or the academic body of the institution or college duly empowered to take decision regarding the academic matters including the decision regarding permitting online learning credit courses through Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM);

(b)      “academic session” means the duration of twelve months commencing either in the month of January or in the month of July, as the case may be, of every calendar year;

(c)      “Act” means the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 (3 of 1956);

(d)      “course” means a paper which is taught for at least one semester as a part of a subject;

(e)      “course-coordinator” means a faculty member and subject matter expert belonging to an higher education institution, identified and entrusted with the task of developing and delivering SWAYAM Course in a given subject by a National Coordinator;

(f)       “credit” means the unit award gained as a learning outcome by a student by study efforts required to acquire the specified level of learning in respect of that unit and study effort for one credit means time required by a student to understand the contents equivalent to fifteen hours classroom teaching;

(g)      “credit course” means a course which follows an academic curriculum and for which credit transfer is permissible under these regulations;

(h)     “four quadrant approach” means the e-learning system that has the following components, namely:—

(i)           Quadrant-I, which shall be an e-Tutorial containing video and audio content in an organised form, animations, simulations, virtual labs;

(ii)         Quadrant-II, which shall be an e-Content containing e-Books or glossary, case study, frequently asked questions transcriptions of video lectures and any other study materials;

(iii)       Quadrant-III, which shall be a discussion forum, for discussion of doubts, opinions and comments with course-coordinators and others;

(iv)       Quadrant-IV, which shall be a self-assessment process that shall contain multiple choice questions, problems, quizzes, assignments and solutions;

(i)       “higher education institution” means a university established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, Provincial Act or State Act as referred to under clause (f) of Section 2 of the Act, institution or college recognised by or affiliated to such university and an institution deemed to be a university under Section 3 of the Act which is offering programmes through conventional mode or through open and distance learning mode or through online mode, in the area of higher education or research therein;

(j)       “Host Institution” means the higher education institution duly recognised or approved by the regulating authority, to which the course-coordinator offering the course belongs;

(k)      “Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)” mean such online courses which are developed as per the pedagogy following the four quadrant approach;

(l)       “National Coordinator” means a National level agency or institution designated as such by the Central Government, for the purpose of coordinating the production of the online courses and for overseeing their quality and delivery in a designated discipline or level of learning;

(m)    “parent institution” means the higher education institution where the student is enrolled;

(n)     “proctored examination” means the examination conducted under the supervision of approved person or technology enabled proctoring which ensures the identity of the test taker and the integrity of the test taking environment, either in pen-paper mode or in computer based testing mode or in full-fledged online mode, as may be permissible;

(o)      “programme” includes a diploma, undergraduate or postgraduate degree programme;

(p)      “SWAYAM Board” means the board constituted by the Government of India in the Ministry of Education to oversee Massive Open Online Courses, SWAYAM and SWAYAM Prabha programmes;

(q)      “SWAYAM guidelines” means the guidelines for developing online courses for SWAYAM programmes issued on the 1st June, 2017 by the Government of India in the erstwhile Ministry of Human Resource Development and as amended from time to time;

(r)      “SWAYAM platform” means an Information Technology platform developed and made functional by the Government of India in the Ministry of Education, for the purpose of offering online learning courses.

(2)     Words and expressions used herein and not defined in these regulations but defined in the Act, shall have the same meanings as respectively, assigned to them in the Act.

Regulation - 4. SWAYAM based online credit courses.

(1)     The schedule of the SWAYAM based online credit courses shall be aligned with the conventional education semester commencing in the month of January and July of every year.

(2)     The SWAYAM based online credit courses shall be developed, delivered and assessed only by the course-coordinator.

(3)     The course and course-coordinator shall be identified by the National Coordinator in accordance with the SWAYAM guidelines with the prior approval of the SWAYAM Board.

(4)     The course-coordinator shall offer the SWAYAM based online credit courses through the Host Institution which shall issue the certificate with grades after the end term proctored examination for credit transfer.

(5)     The list of SWAYAM based online credit courses for the ensuing semester shall be notified on the SWAYAM platform before the 1st November for the January semester and before the 1st June for the July semester, every year.

(6)     All higher education institutions shall within four weeks from the date of notification of the SWAYAM based online credit courses under sub-regulation (5) shall consider through their competent authority the online learning courses which may be offered through the SWAYAM platform; and keeping in view their academic requirements shall decide upon the courses which they shall permit for credit transfer.

(7)     Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-regulations (6), the higher education institution may allow only up to forty per cent. of the total courses, being offered in a particular programme in a semester, through the online credit course, through the SWAYAM platform.

(8)     The academic council may expedite the process of transfer of credit earned by the student at their parent institution.

(9)     The academic council may allow the Dean (Academics) or Chairman, Board of Studies, to approve the online credit courses of SWAYAM platform for credit transfer on the recommendation of the Head of the Department.

(10)   For proper and smooth conduct of the online learning of credit course offered on SWAYAM platform, the parent institution shall ensure that the physical infrastuctures viz, computer facilities, library, etc, essential for pursuing such courses are made available for free and in adequate measure.

(11)   The parent institution shall designate a faculty member as a facilitator to guide the students from registration till completion of the credit course.

Regulation - 5. Evaluation and certification of credit-based MOOCs.

(1)     The Host Institution and the course-coordinator shall be responsible for evaluating the student registered for the credit-based MOOCs offered on SWAYAM platform.

(2)     The final evaluation of a course shall be based on internal assessment and semester end examination and the internal assessment (with a maximum of thirty per cent. marks) based on instruments such as discussion forums, quizzes, assignments, sessional examinations and the complete evaluation scheme of a course shall be announced at the time of launch of the course.

(3)     Online semester end examination shall be the preferred mode provided that the course-coordinator shall be authorised to decide on the mode of conducting the final examination, either through online mode or pen and paper mode and this shall be announced in the overview of the course at the time of offering of the course.

(4)     The term end proctored examination for all the SWAYAM based credit courses shall be conducted either by the SWAYAM Board or by any other agency authorised by the Government of India in the Ministry of Education, across the country.

(5)     After conduct of the examination and completion of evaluation, the course-coordinator, through the Host Institution, shall award marks or grades, as per the evaluation scheme announced.

(6)     A certificate regarding successful completion of the SWAYAM based credit course shall be signed by the National Coordinator and authorised signatory of the Host Institution and shall be made available on SWAYAM platform within four weeks from the date of declaration of the semester end examination result.

(7)     The parent institution shall incorporate the marks or grades obtained by the student in the marks sheet that counts for final award of the degree or diploma by the university or Institution deemed to be a university.

Regulation - 6. Credit Mobility of SWAYAM based Courses.

(1)     The parent institution shall give the equivalent credit weightage to the student for the credits earned vide online learning credit courses through SWAYAM platform, in the credit plan of the programme.

(2)     No university shall refuse any student for credit mobility of courses earned through SWAYAM platform.

Regulation - 7. Amendments in rules and regulations for seamless integration through SWAYAM based online courses.

Every higher education institution shall within four weeks from the date of publication of these regulations in the Official Gazette make the necessary amendments, as may be required, in their statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations to adopt and incorporate the provisions of these regulations for seamless integration through SWAYAM based online courses.

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University Grants Commission (Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) Regulations, 2021

University Grants Commission (Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) Regulations, 2021[1]

[25th March, 2021]

In exercise of powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 26 read with clause (j) of Section 12 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 (3 of 1956) and in supersession of the UGC (Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through SWAYAM) Regulations, 2016, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the University Grants Commission hereby makes the following regulations, namely:—

Regulation - 1. Short title and commencement.

(1)     These regulations may be called the University Grants Commission (Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) Regulations, 2021.

(2)     They shall come into force from the date of their publication in the official Gazette.

Regulation - 2. Application.

These regulations shall apply to,—

(a)      all universities established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, Provincial Act or State Act as referred to under clause (f) of Section 2 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, institution or college recognised by or affiliated to such universities and an institution deemed to be university under Section 3 of the said Act.

(b)      the transfer of credits of such students who are enrolled in any higher education institution in India.

Regulation - 3. Definitions.

(1)     In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(a)      “academic council” means the academic council of the university or institution deemed to be a university or the academic body of the institution or college duly empowered to take decision regarding the academic matters including the decision regarding permitting online learning credit courses through Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM);

(b)      “academic session” means the duration of twelve months commencing either in the month of January or in the month of July, as the case may be, of every calendar year;

(c)      “Act” means the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 (3 of 1956);

(d)      “course” means a paper which is taught for at least one semester as a part of a subject;

(e)      “course-coordinator” means a faculty member and subject matter expert belonging to an higher education institution, identified and entrusted with the task of developing and delivering SWAYAM Course in a given subject by a National Coordinator;

(f)       “credit” means the unit award gained as a learning outcome by a student by study efforts required to acquire the specified level of learning in respect of that unit and study effort for one credit means time required by a student to understand the contents equivalent to fifteen hours classroom teaching;

(g)      “credit course” means a course which follows an academic curriculum and for which credit transfer is permissible under these regulations;

(h)     “four quadrant approach” means the e-learning system that has the following components, namely:—

(i)           Quadrant-I, which shall be an e-Tutorial containing video and audio content in an organised form, animations, simulations, virtual labs;

(ii)         Quadrant-II, which shall be an e-Content containing e-Books or glossary, case study, frequently asked questions transcriptions of video lectures and any other study materials;

(iii)       Quadrant-III, which shall be a discussion forum, for discussion of doubts, opinions and comments with course-coordinators and others;

(iv)       Quadrant-IV, which shall be a self-assessment process that shall contain multiple choice questions, problems, quizzes, assignments and solutions;

(i)       “higher education institution” means a university established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, Provincial Act or State Act as referred to under clause (f) of Section 2 of the Act, institution or college recognised by or affiliated to such university and an institution deemed to be a university under Section 3 of the Act which is offering programmes through conventional mode or through open and distance learning mode or through online mode, in the area of higher education or research therein;

(j)       “Host Institution” means the higher education institution duly recognised or approved by the regulating authority, to which the course-coordinator offering the course belongs;

(k)      “Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)” mean such online courses which are developed as per the pedagogy following the four quadrant approach;

(l)       “National Coordinator” means a National level agency or institution designated as such by the Central Government, for the purpose of coordinating the production of the online courses and for overseeing their quality and delivery in a designated discipline or level of learning;

(m)    “parent institution” means the higher education institution where the student is enrolled;

(n)     “proctored examination” means the examination conducted under the supervision of approved person or technology enabled proctoring which ensures the identity of the test taker and the integrity of the test taking environment, either in pen-paper mode or in computer based testing mode or in full-fledged online mode, as may be permissible;

(o)      “programme” includes a diploma, undergraduate or postgraduate degree programme;

(p)      “SWAYAM Board” means the board constituted by the Government of India in the Ministry of Education to oversee Massive Open Online Courses, SWAYAM and SWAYAM Prabha programmes;

(q)      “SWAYAM guidelines” means the guidelines for developing online courses for SWAYAM programmes issued on the 1st June, 2017 by the Government of India in the erstwhile Ministry of Human Resource Development and as amended from time to time;

(r)      “SWAYAM platform” means an Information Technology platform developed and made functional by the Government of India in the Ministry of Education, for the purpose of offering online learning courses.

(2)     Words and expressions used herein and not defined in these regulations but defined in the Act, shall have the same meanings as respectively, assigned to them in the Act.

Regulation - 4. SWAYAM based online credit courses.

(1)     The schedule of the SWAYAM based online credit courses shall be aligned with the conventional education semester commencing in the month of January and July of every year.

(2)     The SWAYAM based online credit courses shall be developed, delivered and assessed only by the course-coordinator.

(3)     The course and course-coordinator shall be identified by the National Coordinator in accordance with the SWAYAM guidelines with the prior approval of the SWAYAM Board.

(4)     The course-coordinator shall offer the SWAYAM based online credit courses through the Host Institution which shall issue the certificate with grades after the end term proctored examination for credit transfer.

(5)     The list of SWAYAM based online credit courses for the ensuing semester shall be notified on the SWAYAM platform before the 1st November for the January semester and before the 1st June for the July semester, every year.

(6)     All higher education institutions shall within four weeks from the date of notification of the SWAYAM based online credit courses under sub-regulation (5) shall consider through their competent authority the online learning courses which may be offered through the SWAYAM platform; and keeping in view their academic requirements shall decide upon the courses which they shall permit for credit transfer.

(7)     Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-regulations (6), the higher education institution may allow only up to forty per cent. of the total courses, being offered in a particular programme in a semester, through the online credit course, through the SWAYAM platform.

(8)     The academic council may expedite the process of transfer of credit earned by the student at their parent institution.

(9)     The academic council may allow the Dean (Academics) or Chairman, Board of Studies, to approve the online credit courses of SWAYAM platform for credit transfer on the recommendation of the Head of the Department.

(10)   For proper and smooth conduct of the online learning of credit course offered on SWAYAM platform, the parent institution shall ensure that the physical infrastuctures viz, computer facilities, library, etc, essential for pursuing such courses are made available for free and in adequate measure.

(11)   The parent institution shall designate a faculty member as a facilitator to guide the students from registration till completion of the credit course.

Regulation - 5. Evaluation and certification of credit-based MOOCs.

(1)     The Host Institution and the course-coordinator shall be responsible for evaluating the student registered for the credit-based MOOCs offered on SWAYAM platform.

(2)     The final evaluation of a course shall be based on internal assessment and semester end examination and the internal assessment (with a maximum of thirty per cent. marks) based on instruments such as discussion forums, quizzes, assignments, sessional examinations and the complete evaluation scheme of a course shall be announced at the time of launch of the course.

(3)     Online semester end examination shall be the preferred mode provided that the course-coordinator shall be authorised to decide on the mode of conducting the final examination, either through online mode or pen and paper mode and this shall be announced in the overview of the course at the time of offering of the course.

(4)     The term end proctored examination for all the SWAYAM based credit courses shall be conducted either by the SWAYAM Board or by any other agency authorised by the Government of India in the Ministry of Education, across the country.

(5)     After conduct of the examination and completion of evaluation, the course-coordinator, through the Host Institution, shall award marks or grades, as per the evaluation scheme announced.

(6)     A certificate regarding successful completion of the SWAYAM based credit course shall be signed by the National Coordinator and authorised signatory of the Host Institution and shall be made available on SWAYAM platform within four weeks from the date of declaration of the semester end examination result.

(7)     The parent institution shall incorporate the marks or grades obtained by the student in the marks sheet that counts for final award of the degree or diploma by the university or Institution deemed to be a university.

Regulation - 6. Credit Mobility of SWAYAM based Courses.

(1)     The parent institution shall give the equivalent credit weightage to the student for the credits earned vide online learning credit courses through SWAYAM platform, in the credit plan of the programme.

(2)     No university shall refuse any student for credit mobility of courses earned through SWAYAM platform.

Regulation - 7. Amendments in rules and regulations for seamless integration through SWAYAM based online courses.

Every higher education institution shall within four weeks from the date of publication of these regulations in the Official Gazette make the necessary amendments, as may be required, in their statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations to adopt and incorporate the provisions of these regulations for seamless integration through SWAYAM based online courses.