3 min readMumbaiApr 7, 2026 11:37 AM IST
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has brought a fundamental change to the higher education sector by introducing four-years undergraduate (UG) courses for non-professional programmes. But this will not be universally available across all colleges or to all students.
Students must obtain a CGPA of 7.5 while successfully earning the required credits by the end of the third year to seek admission to the fourth year of UG. Whereas only those colleges which have Post Graduate (PG) degree courses and PhD research programmes along with UG in the same major subject, are automatically allowed to offer the fourth year of UG, all others will have to seek permission.
Individual universities will have to frame detailed mechanisms and eligibility guidelines for affiliated colleges which do not have PG course or PhD research programmes in concerned subjects where they seek to start the fourth year of UG degree under the NEP 2020. These guidelines could include criteria such as infrastructural facilities, accreditation status, faculty support, research institute tie-ups etc.
In case a college is not permitted to offer fourth year UG, an eligible student from such a college is allowed lateral entry to the fourth year of UG course in another college or university where it is already approved. Admission will be granted based on validation of prior learning outcomes and will remain subject to seat availability, approved intake capacity and existing reservation policy. Individual universities will draw detailed norms for lateral entry which could include provision for supernumerary seats.
Ahead of the new academic year – 2026-27 – Maharashtra’s higher and technical education department has issued guidelines for the fourth year of UG degree, recommended under the NEP 2020. A Government Resolution (GR) issued on Monday provides guidelines for fourth year honours and fourth year honours with research program – the two primary pathways to be made available after completion of third year of UG for students who are not only willing but are eligible to study the fourth year of UG, under the NEP 2020.
“The fourth year of the four-year UG programme will not be granted to any college as ‘natural growth’. The affiliated colleges conducting a 3-year UG degree programme will seek permission to commence a fourth year UG programme as extension by following the prevailing statutory procedures,” states the GR.
However, it further clarifies that colleges already having permission and recognition for the PG degree programme along with UG degree programme in the same Major shall be automatically allowed conduct the fourth year of UG Honours Degree programme without undergoing any additional procedures. Similarly, the colleges with approved PG programme and Ph.D. Research Centre shall be automatically allowed to start the fourth year of UG Honours with Research Degree programme without undergoing any additional procedures.
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“For students of colleges running only three year UG Degree Programme, the University shall evolve suitable mechanisms for admission to fourth-year honours program in other colleges,” it stated.
As per the guidelines, students must typically obtain a specific CGPA of 7.5 while successfully earning the required credits (typically around 120–132 credits) by the end of the third year. Whereas all students must be registered in the Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) portal to facilitate credit transfers and the multiple entry/exit system.
