Sunday, Dec 07, 2003
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Tamil Nadu
By K. Ramachandran
Initially, institutions/universities could be asked to follow this system, which offers students flexibility in studies and the advantage of getting internationally-acceptable recognition for the B.E/B.Tech programmes, on a voluntary basis. In the next year, it could be made mandatory, he said inaugurating a workshop here on the model CBSS, organised by the AICTE and the IIT-Madras. The CBSS was a promise made in the National Policy on Education in 1986. ``In at least another two years, we would like to have the system implemented. In the first year it can be made voluntary and later made mandatory. It is a highly desirable system, which has worked well worldwide.'' Prof. Natarajan said the system shifted the focus of the engineering undergraduate programmes from once-a semester examination along with a pass/fail syndrome, to give credit to students' learning outcomes. More than 60 engineering college heads, educational administrators and academicians participated in the day-long deliberations. As per the background paper circulated at the meeting, credit-based education was an alternative to the conventional system with emphasis on giving student appropriate credit for materials learnt. A degree was awarded on the basis of total credits earned. Several subjects/courses could be offered as electives. The students could learn at their own pace and evaluation was done by continuous assessment. The AICTE officials said a meeting of all State Education Secretaries held in Delhi last month, wanted the CBSS implemented in all institutions soon. Later, the council decided to join hands with the IITs in organising awareness workshops to apprise the college heads of the imperative need to change over to a credit-based system and the advantage that could accrue from the same. Two such sessions were held earlier this week. The outcomes of all these deliberations would form the basis for final implementation of the system. The AICTE's Undergraduate Board Chairman, M. Anandakrishnan, said any innovation or new initiative would be possible only with a change to a credit-based system. In the emerging post-GATS scenario, it would be difficult for a student to interpret or authenticate his or her marksheet to an institution of higher learning or employment in another country. But the CBSS was internationally acceptable, in that credits could be transferred among courses within or even outside the country. Grading of students performance under the CBSS was also an internationally-accepted norm. However, one would have to decide on what comprised a grade, how soon could it be implemented, the system of grading and what was the responsibility of teachers or students under the new system. The IIT-Madras Director, M.S. Ananth, said the concept of higher technical education was to help students cope with change and use new tools for changing applications, so that they turned ``wealth creators.''
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