The University Grants Commission (UGC) recently released the National Credit Framework (NCrF) with an aim to integrate general (academic) education, vocational education, and experiential learning including relevant experience and proficiency/ professional levels acquired. The system is based on the National Education Policy, NEP 2020. It is developed jointly by UGC, AICTE, NCVET, NIOS, CBSE, NCERT, DGT, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Skill Development.
The National Credit Framework (NCrF) is a single meta framework aimed to integrate the credits earned through school education, higher education and vocational & skill education. “This framework will enable establishing equivalence and mobility between general education and vocational education so that lifelong learning, recognition of prior learning, multiple entry and exit, and continuous professional development are encouraged in the system,” says UGC Chairman Mamdila Jagadesh Kumar.
The National Credit Framework (NCrF) is a single meta framework aimed to integrate the credits earned through school education, higher education and vocational & skill education. “This framework will enable establishing equivalence and mobility between general education and vocational education so that lifelong learning, recognition of prior learning, multiple entry and exit, and continuous professional development are encouraged in the system,” says UGC Chairman Mamdila Jagadesh Kumar.
What is NCrF ?
The National Credit Framework (NCrF) is a single meta-framework that works on the accumulation of credits earned through school education, higher education and vocational & skill education. Under this system credit will be assigned to academic learning and skill learning.How was NCrF formulated ?
The credit system is already being followed by IITs, IIMs, NITs and other INIs. The National Credit Framework (NCrF) is developed by the collective efforts of the UGC, AICTE, NCVET, NCERT, CBSE and NIOS.- What are the
benefits of NCrF ?
- To remove the separations between educational streams, General and Vocational education, Curricular & other activities.
- Establishing equivalence between general and vocational education & training/skilling.
- Mobility between and within General and vocational education & training/skilling
- Provisions for lifelong learning through multiple entry and multiple exit(ME-ME) options
- The credit framework provides for a comprehensive and practical approach to include all dimensions of learning i.e. academic education, skilling and experiential learning including relevant experience and professional levels acquired.
- What are the different
NCrF Credit Levels ?
The NCrF has proposed that the maximum levels within this framework shall uniformly be up to level 8. The assignment of Credit levels under NCrF will be based on the cumulative number of years of learning with an assessmenti. The credit level that can be attained after completion of school education i.e. grade 5th will be level 1, grade 8th will be level 2, grade 10th will be level 3 and grade 12th will be level 4.
ii. The higher education shall be from credit levels of 4.5 and to level 8. For Vocational Education, Training and Skilling, the NCrF credit levels are from level 1 to 8 wherein level 1 is of the lowest level of competence and complexity while level 8 indicates the highest level of competence and complexity.
- What is a
Notional Learning Hour ?
Notional hours refer to the time that the average student would need to attend all classes, study for tests and do assignments and homework. The total Notional Learning Hours for one year of education/ learning across school education, higher education and vocational education, training and skilling have been agreed to be 1200 Hrs per year for the purpose of assignment of credits for which the students/ learners shall be awarded 40 Credits subject to assessment. - How the credits will be stored and redeemed?
The credits earned after the completion of academic education, vocational education, training & Skill education – the collected credits will be stored in the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC).
