Double Degree announcement from the UGC will open up multiple career options for students

By Rohan Prem Sagar 

The regulations for the dual degree programme have been accepted by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for the coming academic year as announced by the Chairman Dr. Jagadesh Kumar on April 12. Higher education institutions have begun offering certain programs through Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and Online Learning (OL) modes to address the problem of limited seats in particular programs.

According to the UGC’s recent announcement, students can:

i)    Pursue dual university courses physically through the two-shift system now in use, or

ii)   Enroll at two different universities based on their proximity, or

iii)  Choose the ODL/OL mode for the second degree.

Universities will have to plan out the propositions based on the various possibilities to respond to students’ needs. Students can choose from a variety of Indian and international universities that meet the required standards.

Dual degrees are beneficial for motivated students. According to the UGC Chairman, the decision on the double degree offering was made “to allow students to acquire numerous talents.” The two programs must be of the same level. Students can only pursue two bachelor’s, two masters’ or two diploma programs at a time. This isn’t merely a dual degree; the student will earn two degrees for full-time study.

While the student’s choice of core disciplines is up to them based on their interests, it is also dependent on the institution’s resources. To make this program viable, a thought-over methodology is required. Students could pursue a second degree in a field related to the basic degree or in an allied domain of interest.

Now, everything has advantages and disadvantages. The advantages need to be exploited and the challenges need to be overcome. The double degree programme will provide several benefits. The biggest advantage is that students pursuing two degrees will learn different disciplines in the same amount of time. 

Many combinations of subjects will help students in their careers if they choose to pursue a double-degree offering. An indicative list is given here:

Business and Computer Information Systems

Almost every industry usually requires professionals who understand computer systems, programming and algorithmic processes, networks and data analysis. Computer science is responsible for the existence of the internet, digital photography, email and open-source software. Management information systems assist organizations in making data more accessible and valuable.

This technology can improve the collection of data, security and assessment, resulting in more informed business decisions, reduced risk and better outcomes. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in management information systems are capable of developing, implementing, protecting and operating these systems.

Statistics and Public Health

Statistics is an important part of the assessment function in public health, as it is used to identify special risk groups, identify possible health threats, plan and evaluatepublic health programs and prepare government budgets. This combination of courses alsohelps with different job roles such as Public Health Analyst and Research Analyst.

Computer Information Systems and Accounting

An accounting information system collects data describing an organization’s activities, keeps a detailed financial record of the organization’s operations, converts the data into information and makes the data accessible to users both inside and outside the organization. People who have a degree in information systems have a wide range of career options. Jobs range from programmer analyst to business analyst, manager and chief financial officer. 

Economics and Computer Science

Computer Science and Economics (CSEC) is a cross-disciplinary major for students who are interested in the practical and theoretical connections between computer science and economics. Master’s in Economics and Computer Science graduates can pursue careers such as data scientist, economic analyst and industrial economist.

         
When students have more tools in their possession, they will have a holistic understanding of how things function when they go out into the world and pursue their careers. The most significant benefit of such a programme is that it increases a student’s employability. A student who is pursuing an engineering degree can also pursue a related niche degree. Combined, these two degrees will give the student an advantage over someone who has only one bachelor’s degree.

Today’s youth must be able to compete with peers from all over the world. Employers need workers who can demonstrate greater depth in a variety of domains. We must break free from the past of one domain; university education now has to be from multiple fields of study. This is the essence of the New Education Policy as propounded by the Government of India. A youth with diverse expertise will survive and flourish in any situation and in any part of the world. Universities and institutions have to gear up for this new thinking. 

 (The author is Trustee and a part of the Board of Governors at Dayananda Sagar University, Bengaluru. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)