TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: After being awarded the status of academic autonomy by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Goa University in August 2014, Parvati Chowgule College now aims to start a choice based credit system (CBCS) that will allow students to “choose subjects based on their individual aptitudes and career goals.”
“Chowgule College has become the first college in the state to attain the autonomous status. It will begin functioning as an autonomous college in the academic year beginning June 2015, enrolling the first batch of students under a new curriculum,” said Principal Dr R V Gaonkar.
Students admitted to undergraduate programs during the academic year 2014-15 under Goa University’s semester system shall remain under the same affiliated system when they reach the second and third year.
Gaonkar said it was a proud moment for the college, adding, “The autonomous status will allow us educators to guide our students appropriately, which in turn will help them become better-educated citizens of the state and nation.”
Under the CBCS, undergraduate degree programs of three years will contain six semesters. Students will need a minimum of 130 credits to complete the programme
The BA and B.Sc courses that offer twelve and nine subjects respectively will be structured into four components, with extracurricular activities and internship accounting for several credits.
“A student can choose to do a single major, major-minor or double major in subjects of his or her choice,” said Dr Gaonkar.
As for the grading system, the college will follow the cumulative grade-point average (CGPA) system based on the students’ performance in examinations. “Numerous educational institutions of repute in this nation and abroad have also opted for grading, given its merits. The grading system at Chowgule College will facilitate student mobility across institutions within and across countries, while also enabling potential employers to assess the performance of students,” said Dr Gaonkar.
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council had recently accredited the college a CGPA of 3.41 out of 4.
