Topics to be Covered:

1. Definition of Credit Based Choice System

2. Features of CBCS
3. CBCS of Higher Education in India
4. Types of Courses
5. Grading System
6. How is the credit counted
7. Advantages of CBCS
8. Disadvantages of CBCS
 Credit Based Choice System
• Academic Year: Two consecutive (one odd + one
even) semesters constitute one academic year.
• Choice Based Credit System (CBCS): The CBCS
provides choice for students to select from the
prescribed courses (core, elective or minor or soft
skill courses).
• Course: Usually referred to, as ‘papers’ is a
component of a programme. All courses need not
carry the same weight. The courses should define
learning objectives and learning outcomes. A course
may be designed to comprise lectures/
tutorials/laboratory work/ field work/ outreach
activities/ project work/ vocational training/viva/
seminars/ term papers/assignments/ presentations/
self-study etc. or a combination of some of these.
• Credit Based Semester System (CBSS): Under the
CBSS, the requirement for awarding a degree or
diploma or certificate is prescribed in terms of
number of credits to be completed by the students.
• Credit Point: It is the product of grade point and number of credits for a
course.
• Credit: A unit by which the course work is measured. It determines the
number of hours of instructions required per week. One credit is equivalent
to one hour of teaching (lecture or tutorial) or two hours of practical
work/field work per week.
• Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA): It is a measure of overall
cumulative performance of a student over all semesters. The CGPA is the
ratio of total credit points secured by a student in various courses in all
semesters and the sum of the total credits of all courses in all the
semesters. It is expressed up to two decimal places.
• Grade Point: It is a numerical weight allotted to each letter grade on a 10-point scale.
• Letter Grade: It is an index of the performance of students in a said course. Grades are
denoted by letters O, A+, A, B+, B, C, P and F.
• Programme: An educational programme leading to award of a Degree, diploma or certificate.
• Semester Grade Point Average (SGPA):
• It is a measure of performance of work done in a semester. It is ratio of total credit points
secured by a student in various courses registered in a semester and the total course credits
taken during that semester. It shall be expressed up to two decimal places.
• Semester: Each semester will consist of 15-18 weeks of academic work equivalent to 90
actual teaching days. The odd semester may be scheduled from July to December and even
semester from January to June.
• Transcript or Grade Card or Certificate: Based on the grades earned, a grade certificate shall
be issued to all the registered students after every semester. The grade certificate will display
the course details (code, title, number of credits, grade secured) along with SGPA of that
semester and CGPA earned till that semester.
Features of CBCS
• This is a uniform CBCS for all central and state and other recognized
universities.
• There are three main courses: Core, Elective and Foundation.
• There are also non-credit courses available which will be assessed as
‘Satisfactory’ or “Unsatisfactory’.
This is not included in the computation of SGPA/CGPA.
• All the three main courses will be evaluated and accessed to provide
for an effective and balanced result.
 The University Grants
Commission (UGC) has made it
compulsory to implement
choice based credit system
(CBCS) in all:
• UGs(Under Graduates)
• PG (Post Graduate Courses)
• Ph.D Courses
• Under XI and XII courses plan
Choice Based Credit System of Higher Education
in India
According to action plan for Academic and Administrative Reform
(2009) of UGC:
• Curricular flexibility and learners mobility is an issue that warrants
our urgent attention
• These can be addressed by introducing credit based courses and
credit accumulation
 Types of Courses
• Courses in a programme may be of three kinds: Core, Elective and Foundation.
• Core Course
• There may be a Core Course in every semester. This is the course which is to be compulsorily studied by
a student as a core requirement to complete the requirement of a programme in a said discipline of
study.
• Elective Course
• Elective course is a course which can be chosen from a pool of papers. It may be:
• Supportive to the discipline of study
• Providing an expanded scope
• Enabling an exposure to some other discipline/domain
• Nurturing student’s proficiency/skill.
• An elective may be “Generic Elective” focusing on those courses which add generic proficiency to the
students. An elective may be “Discipline centric "or may be chosen from an unrelated discipline. It may
be called an “Open Elective.”
• Foundation Course
• The Foundation Courses may be of two kinds: Compulsory Foundation and Elective foundation.
“Compulsory Foundation” courses are the courses based upon the content that leads to Knowledge
enhancement. They are mandatory for all disciplines. Elective Foundation courses are value-based and
are aimed at man-making education.
• 3. Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) Course: Elective courses may be offered by the main
discipline/subject of study is referred to as Discipline Specific Elective. The
University/Institute may also offer discipline related Elective courses of interdisciplinary
nature (to be offered by main discipline/ subject of study).
• 4. Dissertation/Project: An elective course designed to acquire special/advanced knowledge,
with an advisory support by a teacher/faculty member is called dissertation/project.
• 5. Generic Elective (GE) Course: An elective course chosen generally from an unrelated
discipline/subject, with an intention to seek exposure is called a Generic Elective.
• 6. Ability Enhancement Courses (AEC): This may be of two kinds: Ability Enhancement
Compulsory Courses (AECC) and Skill Enhancement Courses (SEC). “AECC” courses are the
courses based upon the content that leads to Knowledge enhancement; Skill Enhancement
Courses (SEC): These courses may be chosen from a pool of courses designed to provide
value-based and/or skill-based knowledge.
Grading: UGC has introduced a 10-point grading system as follows:
1. O (Outstanding): 10
2. A+ (Excellent): 9
3. A (Very Good): 8
4. B+ (Good): 7
5. B (Above Average): 6
6. C (Average): 5
7. P (Pass): 4
8. F (Fail): 0
9. Ab (Absent): 0

TALVIR SINGH PLUS COURSE ON UNACDEMY

How is the credit counted?
One credit per semester is equal to one hour of teaching, which
includes both lecture (L) or tutorial (T) or two hours of practical
work/field work (P) per week. A study course can have only L
component or only T or P component or combination of any two or
all the three components. The total credits earned by a student for
each semester is L+T+P.
Various methods are followed for evaluation basis on the
suitability of the course which is approved by various
legislative bodies.
• UGC' recommends Letter Grades and Grade Point Systems to be applied in
giving the grades under lathe CBCS System.
• When there are large number of students CBCS system has to be
implemented with online system to meet the requirements effectively. It
will help the students to choose the subjects and teachers of their choice.
But, there should also be restriction that if a student fits into the eligibility
criteria of the institution then only they can choose the subjects of their
choice.
• Through online system, the teachers would also be able to share their
notes, discuss the subjects with their students, take tests, etc.
• The online system should be user friendly and easy for the teachers. It
should also be able to print the mark sheets as per the institutions
requirements.
CBCS
• After the selection of the subjects by the students a time table could be
generated which would help the students and the teachers to be aware of
their class and subjects.
• The online system also helps the teachers in taking attendance of their
subjects for each student. It will decrease the work load in maintaining the
register and would be easy to calculate the percentage for each student.
• The system should be able to generate report as and when required. It
should be programmed as per the institutions requirements like report for
student's performance, subject wise report, attendance report, etc.
• The system should be able to store past records and data so that it could
be easily accessible as and when required. It would also help the
institution to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of its system in
future.
Advantages of CBCS
• The CBCS offers a ‘cafeteria’ approach in which the students can choose courses of their
own choice.
• The credit system allows a student to study what he prefers in his own sequence as per
his interests.
• They can learn at their own pace.
• They can opt for additional courses and can achieve more than the required credits.
• They can also opt for an interdisciplinary approach to learning.
• Inter college/university migration within the country and outside becomes easy with
the transfer of Credits. This means that it will be easier for foreign universities to come
and offer courses in India.
Advantages of CBCS
• Can opt for one part of the course in one institute and the
other part in another institute. This will help in making a clear
choice between good and bad colleges/ institutes.

• The students have more scope to enhance their skills and more
scope of taking up projects and assignments, vocational training,
including entrepreneurship.

• The system improves the job opportunities of students.

• The system will help in enabling potential employers assess the

performance of students on a scientific scale.
Disadvantages of CBCS
1. Teachers’ workload may fluctuate.
2. Needs proper and good infrastructure for a universal
spread of education.
3. Not very easy to estimate the exact marks.
4. Partial knowledge of extra subjects
5. Over-burden to teachers and students