Under the Agnipath initiative, the Ministry of Education is getting ready to introduce a special three-year skill-based bachelor degree program for serving defense personnel that will recognize the skill training they gained while working in defense enterprises. The government stated in a press statement on Wednesday that the program’s objective is to enhance Agniveers’ potential career paths and prepare them for a range of positions in the civilian sector.
Undergraduate Certificate upon successful completion of the first year courses, Undergraduate Diploma upon successful completion of the first and second year courses, and Degree upon successful completion of all courses within a three year period are all possible exit points for the defense program, which is in accordance with UGC standards and the National Credit Framework/National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) under the National Education Policy 2020.
In a press release, the ministry of education stated that this program, which has been designed and will be carried out by IGNOU, entails that 50% of the credits needed for a graduate degree would then come from the skill training – both technical and non-technical – received by the Agniveer, and the rest 50% will come from a basket of courses that cover a wide range of subjects, including languages, economics, history, political science, and public administration.
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), and UGC have all duly acknowledged the program’s framework. IGNOU will issue degrees under the UGC nomenclature (BA, B. Com., BA (vocational), BA (Tourism Management), and these degrees will be accepted for work and study both in India and outside. To implement the program, the Army, Navy, and Air Force will sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IGNOU.
