MHRD mulls new policy; re-entry provision for college dropouts

The list of successful college dropouts is long and illustrious, and contains many a billionaire, artiste, sportsperson and entertainer. Not everyone drops out to form a billion-dollar company, though, or for a successful career in sports or entertainment. There are those for whom dropping out isn’t a matter of choice, and many who would gladly go back to complete their education.

Thankfully for students in western countries, they have the option of continuing their education from where they left. And now, a new education policy is considering providing the same option to Indian students.

As per the proposed new education policy, a student may be eligible for a diploma or similar certificate after leaving their course midway, along with an entry-exit provision allowing them to pick their studies off from where they left it. In the current scenario, students are required to start from scratch if they wish to resume a course they dropped out of at a later date.

The policy was proposed by Bhartiya Shikshan Mandal, an organization affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).  As reported by news agencies, Mukul Kanitkar, the organisation's joint organising secretary said, “Most experts seem to be agreed on the proposal, so we are positive over exit-entry policy inculcation in the new education policy in one form or the other."

Various sources have also reported that the committee constituted for the new policy discussed and deliberated on the issue at length and most felt that this change is necessary.

The policy is in line with the recent discussions to move towards a 4-Year Graduation model, similar to the education system in the US and Europe. The new suggestion proposes to introduce an entry-exit

According to the suggestion, a student passing the first year of a graduation course will be eligible for a certificate. At the end of the second year, they can receive a diploma, and after completing the third year, they can receive a course pass degree. After the fourth year, they can receive an honours degree, and if they wish to pursue Masters, they can receive it at the end of the fifth year.

The dropout rate at professional institutes of learning in India is worryingly high. Nearly 4% of engineers in India drop out of college before finishing their degree. This includes prestigious institutions like the IITs as well. The new policy, if enacted, would give flexibility to those students who struggle to cope with their studies after entering college, and provide a re-entry path to those who have to discontinue their studies for various personal reasons.