New Delhi, 27 Aug (IANS): University Grant Commission (UGC) introduced a framework on Tuesday for universities to conduct examinations for Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM) courses. This initiative has been taken to enhance flexibility in earning academic credits and make higher education more accessible.

SWAYAM is an online platform where students can take admission to different courses from leading institutions of higher education.

UGC Chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar told IANS: "This initiative came after a series of state-level awareness meetings held between October-November 2023 and April-May 2024, along with online discussions with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)."

These meetings reflected the increasing interest of universities in adopting SWAYAM courses for credit transfer and the need for a more flexible examination process. Currently, end-term proctored examinations for SWAYAM courses are conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL). Under the new framework, students who have completed courses on SWAYAM will now have the option to take their SWAYAM exams at their own university, Kumar added.

The framework also includes provisions for re-examinations, allowing students who did not pass or were unable to appear in SWAYAM exams to retake them in subsequent semesters.

Universities that have adopted the UGC Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through SWAYAM can now allow their students to take SWAYAM exams at their own institutions. This will make it easier for students to combine online learning with their regular academic programmes.

This is in addition to the existing exam facilities provided by NTA and NPTEL. The credits earned can be transferred to the transcripts of the students. UGC invited all HEIs to adopt SWAYAM courses and make use of the framework to conduct examinations for better learner-friendliness.

Kumar informed that the UGC had earlier announced the Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through SWAYAM Regulations, 2021. This framework governs the adoption of SWAYAM courses, including the accumulation and transfer of credits. The new framework allows universities to conduct SWAYAM examination, that have already adopted the regulations.

The UGC is providing two additional documents, the ‘Steps for Adopting SWAYAM MOOC Courses’ and the ‘University Dashboard User Guide’ to assist universities in registering on SWAYAM and integrating the courses into the academic records of students. Universities must appoint a Nodal Officer to manage registration, examination, and credit transfer processes for SWAYAM courses. In addition to the flexibility, the new initiative is expected to increase the number of students enrolling in SWAYAM courses, he added.