National Credit Framework: How credits system in schools will work

Last Updated28/10/2022

The draft National Credit Framework (NCrF), was put in public domain by Education Minister recently.
Drafted by a 11-member committee headed by National Council of Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) chairperson.

A “recognition that a learner has completed a prior course of learning, corresponding to a qualification at a given level.
A way of quantifying learning outcomes.

Under it, students need to earn a certain number of credits for completing a degree.
Offers opportunity to mix and match a wide variety of courses, enabling interdisciplinary and intradisciplinary education.
Not possible under the conventional marks/ %-based evaluation system.
Offers flexibility in choosing courses, the option to change courses or institutions midway, or to reenter the education system after dropping out without losing years.
Students can digitally deposit their credits in the Academic Bank of Credits or ABC.

Guidelines to be followed by schools, colleges and universities in adopting the credit system.
National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) lays out the guidelines for higher educational institutions that want to implement the credit system.

NCrF seeks to integrate all the frameworks under one umbrella.
Also brings the entire school education system under the ambit of credits for the first time.
Only the National Institute of Open Schooling followed a credit system.
Also covers skill and vocational education.
Validity of the credits earned by a student - Max 7 years.

Once implemented, it will usher in the school education sector.
All the provisions of the credit system will also be available to school students.
Will remove the need for equivalence certification for academic programmes that meet the NCrF requirements and facilitate transfer of students between schools and boards.
Addresses the difficulties students face wrt equivalence of certificates issued by school education boards for admissions in higher education institutions and employment in Central/State Govt.
A student shall have to earn at least 40 credits for completing a year of school education after putting in 1200 hours of “notional learning hours”.

Time spent not just in classroom teaching, but also in a range of co-curricular and extracurricular activities.
Such activities are sports, yoga, performing arts, music, social work, NCC, vocational education.
Also applicable on the job training, internships or apprenticeships.

NCrF has divided the education system into multiple levels.
School education - 4 levels.
Students clearing class XII will be at credit level 4.
Higher education, the levels are from 4.5 to 8.
Total credit points of student obtained by multiplying the credits earned by them with the NCrF level at which the credits have been earned.