National credit framework

National credit framework
 

News: The UGC has released the NCrF, which will allow students to earn educational credits at all levels, irrespective of mode of learning.
Instruction – The framework may seem to look tricky at first but if you read it twice you will be able to comprehend it clearly. Quote some examples from the article in steps taken to reform Education and link it with any question that asks your opinion on NEP 2020.
 

What is NCrF?
 The NCrF is a meta-framework that integrates the credits earned through school education, higher education, and vocational and skill education.
 It consists of three verticals - National School Education Qualification Framework (NSEQF), National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) and National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF)
 

What is credit and how do students earn them?
 Credit is the recognition that a learner has completed a prior course of learning, corresponding to a qualification at a given level.
 One credit corresponds to 30 notional learning hours in a year of two semesters, and every semester, a student is required to earn a minimum of 20 credits.
 

What is school education as per NCrf?
 School education is assigned Level 0 to Level 4. When a student completes Class V, the student is placed at level 1. After completing middle school (Class VI to VIII), the student reaches level 2. Completion of high school (Class IX and X) corresponds to level 3 and Senior Secondary School (Class XI and XII) corresponds to level 4.
 A student earns a total of 160 credits during the entire schooling years.
 

What is Higher education?
 Higher education levels start from Level 4.5 and end at Level 8.
 Every year, a student has to earn 40 credits to move to the next level, and by the end of a three-year bachelor's degree, the student will have earned 120 credits.
 PhD is at level 8. When a student completes a PhD, the earned credits would be 8x40 = 320.
 

What about Vocational and skill education?
 Vocational and skill education is also spread from level 4.5 to level 8. So there is equivalence between general and vocational and skill education regarding credits earned at each level.
 This helps the students to quickly move from one education stream to another by having the equivalent levels and total credits corresponding to these levels.
 

Where will the credits be stored?
 The credits accumulated by each student shall be stored in the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) technology platform. This can be used to store credits irrespective of the type of learning— academic, vocational, or experiential learning.
 

What flexibility does NCrF provide?
 NCrF enables students to move from one education stream to another by having equivalent levels and total credits corresponding to these levels.
 For example, an ITI pass-out (two years after Class X) along with an additional language course from NIOS attains equivalence of Class XII certificate along with ITI-National Trade Certificate, which will enable the students to join university like any other student who completed Class XII.
 This means the National Credit Framework (NCrF) provides a mechanism for integrating general academic education and vocational and skill education, providing seamless horizontal and vertical mobility between the two streams for lifelong learning.
 

What are other benefits?
 Students can obtain credits for their proficiency in diverse areas of the Indian knowledge system, including the Puranas, Vedas, and other related components.
 The NCrF supports educational acceleration for students with gifted learning abilities. It provides scope for crediting national/international achievers in any field, including but not limited to sports, Indian knowledge system, music, heritage, traditional skills, performing & fine arts, master artisans, etc.
 The international equivalence and transfer of credits shall be enabled through various multilateral/bilateral agreements between respective regulators of the countries concerned. NCrF would lend credibility and authenticity to the credits being assigned and earned under various programs in India, making these credits more acceptable and transferable internationally