National Credit Framework

NATIONAL
CREDIT
FRAMEWORK
The Report of the High-Level Inter-Ministerial
Committee on National Credit Accumulation &
Transfer Framework
September
2022
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Draft Report of National Credit Framework
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INDEX - NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK
Foreword ............................................................................................................................................................................. 5
PREFACE .............................................................................................................................................................................. 7
GLOSSARY............................................................................................................................................................................ 9
CONSTITUTION OF COMMITTEE ON CREDIT FRAMEWORK ..................................................................... 10
THE NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK 2022: .................................................................................................. 13
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................... 13
1. Section 1: OVERVIEW......................................................................................................................................... 17
1.1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................... 17
1.2. CREDITS IN INDIAN CONTEXT ............................................................................................................. 18
1.2.1. School Education .............................................................................................................................. 18
1.2.2. Higher Education .............................................................................................................................. 19
1.2.3. Vocational education and Training/ Skilling ........................................................................ 21
2. SECTION 2: GENESIS OF A NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK......................................................... 22
2.1. NEED FOR A NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK ........................................................................... 22
2.2. NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK- ENABLING EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEP
2020 AND EDUCATIONAL REFORMS............................................................................................................... 23
2.3. BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES of NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK ................................. 24
2.3.1.
Removal of Hard Separation Between General and Vocational education ............... 24
2.3.2.
Establishing Equivalence Between General and Vocational education and training/
skilling
24
2.3.3.
Mobility Between and Within General and Vocational education and training/ skilling
25
2.3.4. Enabling Provisions for Lifelong Learning Through Multiple Entry and Exit Options
25
2.3.5. Integration and Mixing of Education, Skilling and Work Experience ......................... 26
2.3.6. Enabling Educational Acceleration ........................................................................................... 27
3. SECTION 3: DEVELOPING THE NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK................................................ 28
3.1. FORMULATION OF HIGH LEVEL COMMITTEE AND PREVIOUS WORK DONE................. 28
3.2. THE NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK: THE MOTHER FRAMEWORK AND BASIC
PRINCIPLES ................................................................................................................................................................. 29
3.2.1. National Credit Framework (NCrF) to be an Umbrella Framework ........................... 29
3.2.2. Defining Credit and Calculating Credit Points ...................................................................... 32
3.2.3. Total Learning Hours in a Year for Calculation of Credit ................................................. 32
3.2.4. Credit Levels in the National Credit Framework and Level Descriptors ................... 37
3.2.5. Credits Against Total Notional Hours ...................................................................................... 38
3.2.6. Credits for Additional Learning .................................................................................................. 39
3.2.7. Assessment Band .............................................................................................................................. 39
3.2.8. Major Dimensions of National Credit Framework .............................................................. 42
3.3. ASSIGNMENT OF CREDITS IN NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK ........................................ 45
3.3.1.
Credits Assigned by Virtue of Academic Education ........................................................... 45
3.3.2.
Credits Assigned by Virtue of undergoing Vocational Education and Training/ Skilling
47
3.3.3. Credits Assigned by the Virtue of Relevant Experience/ Proficiency Acquired ..... 55
3.4. CREDIT ACCUMULATION AND TRANSFER (OPERATIONALIZATION OF CREDIT
FRAMEWORK) ........................................................................................................................................................... 56
3.4.1. Establishing Equivalence Between General Education and Vocational Education and
Training/ Skilling ................................................................................................................................................. 57
3.4.2. Establishing Entry Eligibility Through Credit Framework ............................................. 68
3.4.3. Establishing Multiple Entry and Multiple Exit (ME-ME) Pathways ............................. 69
3.5. CREDIT STORAGE AND REDEMPTION THROUGH ACADEMIC BANK OF CREDIT ......... 70
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3.5.1. Mechanism for Credit Storage ..................................................................................................... 70
3.5.2. Accumulation and Storage ............................................................................................................ 71
3.5.3. Verification .......................................................................................................................................... 71
3.5.4. Redemption of Accumulated Credits ........................................................................................ 71
3.5.5. Credit Expiry and Renewal ........................................................................................................... 72
4. Section 4: SPECIAL PROVISIONS IN NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK ...................................... 73
4.1. Provisions for Creditisation of Special Cases of learning: Educational Accelerations
73
4.2. Provision for Recognition for Prior Learning ....................................................................... 74
4.3. Provision for special events like Hackathon, Olympiads ................................................. 76
5. BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK: REALISING THE VISION OF
NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY 2020 ................................................................................................................. 77
Bibliography/ Sources/ References ..................................................................................................................... 80
Annexure I: MULTIPLE ENTRY MULTIPLE EXIT options by UGC & AICTE ........................................... 81
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Foreword
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PREFACE
National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, envisioned under the dynamic
leadership of our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, is a
reflection of the aspiration of the students, teachers and citizens of
the country. The NEP is rooted in bhartiyata and is in sync with the
culture and heritage of our nation while assimilating global knowledge
and perspective.
The National Education Policy 2020, lays emphasis on of making the
education more holistic and effective by integration of general
(academic) and vocational education while ensuring the vertical and
horizontal mobility of students and learners between academic and
vocational streams. Built on the foundational pillars of access, equity, quality, affordability
and accountability, NEP strives to transform India into a vibrant knowledge society to
become a global knowledge superpower (vishwa guru).
To realise the intent and objectives of National Education Policy 2020, the National Credit
Framework (NCrF), has been jointly developed by a High Level Committee constituted by the
Government with members from UGC, AICTE, NCVET, NIOS, CBSE, NCERT, Department of School
Education and Learning & Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, DGT, and
Ministry of Skill Development under the guidance of Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble
Minister of Education and Minister of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship. NCrF is a
comprehensive credit framework encompassing elementary, school, higher, and vocational
education & training, integrating creditisation of learning on the -axis i.e. academics,
vocational skills and Experiential learning including relevant experience and
professional levels acquired.
The NCrF provides for creditisation of all learning and assignment, accumulation, storage,
transfer & redemption of credits, subject to assessment; removes distinction and establishes
academic equivalence between vocational & general education; enables mobility within &
between them, and its operationalising through the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC).
The NCrF relies on a unified approach across the education and skilling frameworks
enabling the education and skilling ecosystem in implementing a comprehensive credit-based
framework. While catering to multi-disciplinarity and holistic education across sciences,
social sciences, arts, humanities and sports, NCrF enables multiple entry - multiple exit (ME-
ME) pathways in general & vocational education; ensures flexibility for students to choose
their learning trajectories and career choices, including option for mid-way course
correction or modification, as per their talents and interests;
NCrF also recognizes blended and online learning, thus promotes extensive use of
technology in teaching and learning, especially in vocational education, training and skilling for
removing barriers while also improving access and opportunities for Divyangs.
Implementation of NCrF will promote Internationalization of education by enabling
equivalence of courses and qualifications, provisions of credit transfer, and encourage
international exchange of students and faculty with foreign universities.
NCrF has provisions for educational acceleration for gifted students with special learning
abilities as also for Recognition of Prior Learning for workforce those have acquired the
knowledge and skills informally, through family inheritance, work experience, traditional or
other methods, thereby allowing them progression and mobility into the formal education
and learning ecosystem.
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GLOSSARY
AICTE - All India Institute of Technical Education

CBCS – Choice Based Credit System
CBSE- Central Board of Secondary Education
CITS: Craftsman Instructor Training Scheme
CTS - Craftsman Training Scheme
DGT - Directorate General of Training
HEIs: Higher Education Institutes
MSDE - Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
NAC- National Apprenticeship Certificate
NCERT - National Council for Educational Research and Training
NCrF – National Credit Framework
NCVET - National Council for Vocational Education and Training
NEP - National Education Policy
NSEQF- National School Education Qualification Framework
NHEQF - National Higher Education Qualification Framework
NIOS - National Institute of Open Schooling
NSQF - National Skill Qualifications Framework
NTA - National Testing Agency
NTC - National Trade Certificate
SAMVAY - Skill Assessment Matrix for Vocational Advancement of Youth
SDG - Sustainable Development Goals
UGC - University Grants Commission
VET – Vocational Education and Training
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CONSTITUTION OF COMMITTEE ON CREDIT FRAMEWORK
The Government of India has approved the constitution of a High-Level Committee, vide
order dated 18th November 2021, to develop a National Credit Accumulation & Transfer
Framework for both Vocational and General Education. The Credit Framework would enable
the integration of academic and vocational domains/components of learning and ensure
flexibility and mobility between the two. The composition of the Committee is as follows:
1. Dr. Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi, Chairperson, NCVET Chairman

2. Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Addl Secretary, MSDE Member
Shri Vineet Joshi Addl Secretary DoHE & Director General
3. Member
NTA, Chairman, CBSE
4. Shri. Maneesh Garg, Joint Secretary, DoSEL, MoE Member
5. Smt. Neelam Shammi Rao, Addl Secretary & DG, DGT, MSDE Member
6. Prof. Rajnish Jain, Secretary, UGC Member
7. Shri Manoj Ahuja, Chairman, CBSE Member
8. Prof. (Dr.) Saroj Sharma, Chairperson, NIOS Member
9. Prof. M.P Poonia, Vice- Chairman, AICTE Member
10. Dr Sridhar Srivastava, Director, NCERT Member
11. Dr. Biswajit Saha, Director (Training & Skill Education), CBSE Member-Secretary
TERMS OF REFERENCE
i. Assign credit value to academic and skill courses taught at various levels
a. School education,
b. Higher Education,
c. Skilling Ecosystem, Vocational Training and Education
d. Distance/ Blended Learning, etc.
ii. Identify ways of Credit Accumulation for:
a. School Education
b. Higher Education.
c. Vocational education and Training
iii. Propose Credit Transfer Model for:
a. Vocational and School Education and vice-versa
b. Vocational and Higher Education and vice-versa
iv. Establish academic equivalence between Vocational and General Education at all
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levels.
v. Develop the unified credit framework for integration of vocational education and
training/ skilling into school and higher education in line with the National
Education Policy 2020 to enable vertical and horizontal mobility between
education and skilling
vi. Identify the mechanism for accumulation and storage of credits through a Credit
Bank
vii. Any other matter relating to the development and functioning of the unified credit
framework
The Final Report has agreement and signature of all the esteemed members of the High level
Committee.
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THE NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK 2022:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Manifesting the National Education Policy 2020
To fulfil the vision of National Education Policy 2020, making education more holistic and
effective and lay emphasis on the integration of general (academic) education, vocational
education and Experiential learning including relevant experience and professional levels
acquired, it becomes imperative to establish and formalize a national credit accumulation
and transfer system which will integrate both general & vocational education while
ensuring mobility of candidates between the two systems.
The National Credit Framework (NCrF) has been jointly developed by UGC, AICTE, NCVET,
NIOS, CBSE, NCERT, Ministry of Education, DGT, and Ministry of Skill Development to
achieve this vision and intent of NEP. NCrF is a comprehensive framework encompassing
elementary, school, higher, and vocational education & training, integrating learning on all
dimensions i.e. academics, vocational skills and experiential learning including
relevant experience and professional levels acquired.
The National Credit Framework (NCrF) shall be an inclusive umbrella Framework to

seamlessly integrate the credits earned through school education, higher education and
vocational & skill education. For creditisation and integration of all learning, the National
Credit Framework (NCrF) shall encompass the qualification frameworks for higher
education, vocational & skill education and school education, namely National Higher
Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF), National Skills Qualification Framework
(NSQF) and National School Education Qualification Framework (NSEQF) also popularly
known as National Curricular Framework (NCF) respectively.
The implementation of NCrF would be a game changer in realising the vision and intent of
NEP by removing distinction, ensuring flexibility & mobility and establishing academic
equivalence between general and vocational education. Such integration shall open
numerous options for further progression of students and inter-mingling of school & higher
education with vocational education & Experiential learning including relevant experience
and professional levels acquired, to further enable entry and re-entry from vocational
stream to general education and vice-versa, thus mainstreaming the vocational education
and skilling.
The National Credit Framework (NCrF) provides for broad based, multi-disciplinary,
holistic education, allowing imaginative and need based curricular structures and
enabling creative combinations of subjects and disciplines. The Framework has been
built on the strength of existing regulations, guidelines and qualification frameworks of UGC,
AICTE, NCVET, NCERT, CBSE & NIOS so that the options for Multiple Entry-Multiple Exit
(ME-ME) are accessible and applicable across the higher education, school education and
vocational education.
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The National Credit Framework (NCrF) provides for Assignment, Accumulation, Storage,
Transfer & Redemption of Credits. The NCrF paves way for multidisciplinary education
and empowers students through flexibility in choice of courses for choosing their own
learning trajectories and programmes, and thereby choose their paths in life with
appropriate career choice, including option for mid-way course corrections, according
to their talents and interests. NCrF fully enables the students with opportunities to catch up
and re-enter education ecosystem in case they have fallen behind or dropped out at any
stage. NCrF also fully supports educational acceleration for students with gifted learning
abilities and Recognition of Prior Learning for workforce that has acquired knowledge and
skills informally through the traditional family inheritance, work experience or other
methods, thereby allowing them progression and mobility into formal education
ecosystem.
The total Notional Learning Hours for assignment of credits across school education,
higher education and vocational education /skilling have been agreed to be 1200 Hrs per
year for which the students/ learners shall be awarded 40 Credits. For the purpose of
credit calculations under National Credit Framework (NCrF), 30 notional learning hours will
be counted as one Credit. However, the assignment of credits is independent of the
education streams, subjects or type of learning, subject to assessment. The students/
learners may take additional courses/ programs/subjects/projects beyond 40 credits to get
additional credits for the same.
NCrF recognises no hard separation between different areas of learning, i.e. arts and
sciences, vocational and academic streams, curricular and extra-curricular for the purpose
of assignment of credits and credit levels. In the true spirit of National Education Policy
2020, the total learning hours can be creditised, subject to assessment, and may include
class room teaching/ learning, laboratory work/ innovation labs/ class projects/
assignments/ tutorials; sports and games, yoga, physical activities, performing arts, music,
handicraft work, social work, NCC, bag less days; examinations/ class tests/ quizzes/
assessments; vocational education, training and skilling, minor/ major project work/ field
visits in skill education as well as on the job training (OJT)/ internship/ apprenticeship/
Experiential learning including relevant experience and professional levels acquired etc.
Such an approach would also close the gap in achievement of learning outcomes by shifting
the classroom education to competency and learning outcome-based education and
learning.
Under the National Credit Framework (NCrF) every learning can be creditised subject to
its assessment. Under NCrF, the Credit levels to be assigned across school/ higher/
vocational education/ skilling, (independent of the streams, subjects etc) will be based on
the cumulative numbers of years of learning with assessment. For earning credits, the
course/ qualification should be qualification framework aligned and approved with a
defined NCrF level and clearly describing the desired competency and learning outcome
expected. Also the learning outcome shall be assessed after completing the course/
qualification for assignment of credits.
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The assessment is thus mandatory for earning credits for all types of learning and
progression to the next assessment band. The Assessment Bands are the stages at which
the student/ learner needs to be formally assessed for progression in academic/ vocational/
skilling streams. (e.g. 10th/ 12th board exams, DGT’s assessment and exams for CTS, UG/ PG
semester exams). The NCrF Credits for the two courses/ qualifications/ programs may be
added to each other and accumulated in ABC if these are earned in the same assessment
band, subject to the guidelines of the respective regulators.
The NCrF credit levels for school education are upto level 4, while for higher education
from Level 4.5. to level 8 [Under Graduate Levels 4.5, 5.0, 5.5 & 6.0, Post Graduate Levels 6.0,
6.5 & 7.0, and PhD Level 8] and for vocational education & training level 1 to level 8.
The total Credit Points earned by the student could be obtained by multiplying the
credits earned with the NCrF Level at which the credits have been earned. The credit
points may be redeemed as per the guidelines of Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) for entry or
admission in school, higher, technical or vocational education programs/ courses at multiple
levels enabling horizontal and vertical mobility with various lateral entry options.
In addition to the credits for higher education, the Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) shall
also be expanded for credits earned through school education, vocational education
and skilling, apprenticeships, internships, project work etc. ABC could digitally store
the academic and other credits earned from recognized institutions so that credits could be
redeemed and the relevant award granted taking into account the credits earned at various
NCrF levels. The credits may also be linked to Digi locker for easy verification and
portability.
The National Credit Framework (NCrF) also enables creditisation of Experiential

learning including relevant experience and professional levels acquired, based on the
weightage for relevant experience and proficiency levels achieved, subject to assessment.
Assignment of Credits has been enabled for online, digital and blended learning in
vocational education and skilling to expand the open /distance learning options and to
promote extensive use of technology in learning & skilling. This would help in overcoming
the constraints of physical infrastructure & scalability while enhancing access, equity, and
affordability and ensuring quality and accountability. The blended learning option shall also
enhance accessibility of learning in Indian language for 90% non-English medium
students as well as for Divyangs.
National Credit Framework (NCrF) will encourage Internationalization of education

through credit transfer provisions thus enabling wider international equivalence,
recognition and acceptance of Indian education and skilling by other countries,
promoting exchange with foreign universities and institutions.
Thus, there would be only one credit Framework for higher education, school education and
skill education, namely the National Credit Framework (NCrF) which would be the
mother framework document notified for integrating the creditisation of learning in
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various dimensions of academics, skilling and experiential learning including relevant
experience and professional levels acquired and only single credit system would be
operationalised through Academic Bank of Credits (ABC). The qualification frameworks
for school, higher education and skills would be addendum to NCrF and aligned with
it. The basic principles and provisions of National Credit Framework (NCrF) would be
applicable to all the qualification frameworks.
National Credit Framework (NCrF) shall act as a broad enabling framework for all
regulatory organizations (UGC, AICTE, NCVET, NCERT etc.), and autonomous institutions,
including Universities, INIs, CBSE, NIOS, State School Boards, State Technical Education
Boards, etc. who may, wherever required, notifying their detailed implementation
guidelines within this Framework. The NCrF empowers institutions and enables them with
the required flexibility for catering to their specific academic requirements for creating
imaginative and flexible curricular structures, creative combinations of disciplines and
other special needs.
Thus, there would be only one credit framework for higher education, school education and
skill education, namely the National Credit Framework (NCrF) which would be the mother
framework document notified for integrating the creditisation of learning in various
dimensions of academics, skilling and Experiential learning including relevant experience
and professional levels acquired and only single credit system would be operationalised
through Academic Bank of Credits (ABC). The qualification frameworks for school, higher
education and skills would be part of and addendum to NCrF. The basic principles and
provisions of National Credit Framework (NCrF) would be applicable to all the qualification
frameworks (NHEQF and NSQF are already aligned with NCrF).
Thus the NCrF shall not only enable effective implementation of National Education Policy
2020 through integration of various policy endeavours under general education and
vocational education, but will also be a game changer to establish a benchmark for holistic
education and learning integrated with skills, by removal of barriers, infusion of flexibility
and creating lifelong learning opportunities. NCrF will enable transformation of India by
providing high quality education opportunities integrated with effective skills to reap the
demographic dividend making education and skilling truly aspirational.
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National Credit Framework

1. Section 1: OVERVIEW
1.1. INTRODUCTION
Education is fundamental for achieving full human potential, developing an equitable society
and promoting national development. Providing universal access to quality education is the
key to India’s continued ascent and leadership on the global stage in terms of economic
growth, social justice & equality, scientific advancement, national integration, and cultural
preservation. Universal high-quality education opportunities integrated with effective skills
is the best way forward for developing and maximizing our country's rich talents and
resources for the good of the individual, the society, the country, and the world.
Today, India is one of the youngest nations in the world with more than 62% of its
population in the working-age group (15-59 years), and over 54% of its total population
below 25 years of age. Its population pyramid is expected to bulge across the 15–59 age
groups over the next decade. This is a huge opportunity and at the same time poses a
formidable challenge. To reap this demographic dividend India needs to equip its workforce
with knowledge and employable skills so that they can contribute substantively to the
economic growth and development of the country. Our ability to provide high-quality
educational opportunities to the youth will determine the future of our country.
Not only the educational opportunities but effective skilling is also the driving force of
economic growth and social development for any country. Countries with higher levels and
standards of skills adjust more effectively to the challenges and opportunities in domestic
and international job markets. The United Nations in the epic summit of 2015 on
‘Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ defined 17
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which places emphasis on ‘skill’ apart from the ‘basic
necessities’ for people across the world. The SDGs have defined skill development
requirement as – ‘to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and
productive employment and decent work for all’. The SDGs report 2018 by the United
Nations shows that 42% of the world population is young with a global youth unemployment
rate of 13%, which can be brought down drastically by skilling the youth. The global
education development agenda reflected in the Goal 4 (SDG4) of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development, adopted by India in 2015 seeks to ‘ensure inclusive and equitable
quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’ by 2030. Such a lofty
goal will require the entire education system to be reconfigured to support and foster
learning, so that all of the critical targets and goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development can be achieved. Efforts made in this direction should meet the needs of the all
sectors of economy including primary, industry and the service sectors. Such efforts should
also be learner centric to make the entire skilling movement aspirational. Skill training
needs to be considered as a complementary and essential part of mainstream education,
rather than being regarded as a secondary alternative, as also envisaged under the National
Education Policy (NEP), 2020.
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This National Education Policy, 2020 envisions an education system rooted in Indian ethos
that contributes directly to transforming India, into an equitable and vibrant knowledge
society, by providing high-quality education to all and thereby making India a global
knowledge superpower. The Policy envisages that the curriculum and pedagogy of our
institutions must develop among the students a deep sense of respect towards the
Fundamental Duties and Constitutional values, bonding with one’s country and a conscious
awareness of one’s roles and responsibilities in a changing world.
The vision of this policy is to instil among the learners a deep-rooted pride in being Indian,
not only in thought, but also in spirit, intellect, and deeds, as well as to develop knowledge,
skills, values, and dispositions that support responsible commitment to human rights,
sustainable development & living, and global well-being, thereby reflecting a truly global
citizen. Education with effective skilling is a great leveller and is the best tool for achieving
economic and social mobility, inclusion, and equality. These elements must be incorporated
taking into account the local and global needs of the country, and with a respect for and
deference to its rich diversity and culture.
The National Education Policy seeks to provide to all students, irrespective of their place of
residence, a quality education system, with particular focus on historically marginalized,
disadvantaged, and under-represented groups. Instilling knowledge of India and its varied
social, cultural, and technological needs, its inimitable artistic, language, and knowledge
traditions, and its strong ethics in India’s young people is considered critical for purposes of
national pride, self-confidence, self-knowledge, cooperation, and integration. This may be
achieved by a number of factors and an important one amongst these being establishing
equivalence and mobility between general education and vocational education and training/
skilling so that lifelong learning, recognition of prior learning, multiple entry and exit, and
continuous professional development is encouraged in the system.
1.2. CREDITS IN INDIAN CONTEXT
1.2.1. School Education
At present, there is no established credit mechanism for regular school education. However,
under the open schooling system, the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) follows
the following credit system:
i. Each subject is assigned 240 hours for self-study. Total 5 subjects are required at the
Secondary and Senior Secondary level which makes it of 1200 hours and 40 credits
in one year
ii. 1 credit is equivalent to 30 hours of total study i.e. each subject is of 8 credits.
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1.2.2. Higher Education
I. CHOICE BASED CREDIT SYSTEM (CBCS) BY UGC
Under the CBCS system, the requirement for awarding a degree or diploma or certificate is
prescribed in terms of number of credits to be earned by the students. This framework is
being implemented in several universities across States in India. The main highlights of CBCS
are as below:
 The CBCS provides flexibility in designing curriculum and assigning credits based on
the course content and learning hours.
 The CBCS provides for a system wherein students can take courses of their choice,
learn at their own pace, undergo additional courses and acquire more than the
required credits, and adopt an interdisciplinary approach to learning.
 CBCS also provides opportunity for vertical mobility to students from a bachelor’s
degree programme to masters and research degree programmes.
The detailed Guidelines for Choice Based Credit System is available at

https://ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/8023719_Guidelines-for-CBCS.pdf
II. SKILL ASSESSMENT MATRIX FOR VOCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT OF YOUTH

(SAMVAY) BY AICTE
The scheme on Skill Assessment Matrix for Vocational Advancement of Youth (SAMVAY) is
a credit framework for skill based vocational courses which was launched by MHRD on 11th
November, 2014. The SAMVAY defines the rules for credit allotment and follows the NSQF
regulatory framework while stating the credit assessment requirements for skills. The skill
based courses, under SAMVAY, generally, have both the skills and general education
components.
The following formula may be used for the credit calculation in general education
component of the courses:
i. General Education credit refers to 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. Accordingly, one Credit would mean equivalent of 14-15
hrs of theory or 28 - 30 hrs of workshop/ lab work.
ii. One Credit is equivalent to 14-15 periods of 60 minutes each, for theory, or 28-30
periods of 60 minutes for workshop/labs and tutorials;
iii. For internship/field work, the credit weightage for equivalent hours is 50% of that for
lectures/tutorials;
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iv. For self-learning, based on e-content or otherwise, the credit weightage for equivalent
hours of study is 50% or less of that for lectures/tutorials.
For the ease of calculation, the break -up of credit wrt general education component is as in
the table below:
Table1: Break-Up of Credits

Theory Practical Experiential learning
1 Credit = 15 hours 1 Credit = 30 hours including relevant
experience and
professional levels
acquired
1 Credit = 40-45 hours
• In each theory class, a new • The practical is dependent Experiential learning
concept is taught and the on theory and experiments including relevant
student is learning performed are based on experience and professional
something new throughout concepts learned in theory levels acquired activities like
the class. class. field visits, industrial visits,
• Repetition of an already etc carry lesser weightage
• It also involves self- learned concept. because it is just an
learning. Observations are taken observation and/or
again and again application of concepts
learned in theory.
As per SAMVAY, the credits regarding skill component may be awarded in terms of NSQF
level certification which will have more than 50% weightage of total credits of the course
based on the assessment in a manner prescribed by the concerned regulatory body.
The latest SAMVAY guidelines are available at : SAMVAY_1_.pdf (aicte-india.org)
III. UGC GUIDELINES FOR PROVIDING SKILL-BASED EDUCATION UNDER

NATIONAL SKILL QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORK
Under these guidelines, the skill-based programmes shall have a mix of general and skill
components in which 30-40% of the total content shall be of general nature including
language courses while the remaining 60% (extendable up to 70%) of the content shall be
on skill development. In such programs the following formula is used for conversion of time
into credit hours.:
a. Skill Component: The skill component should have a minimum of 60% (extendable
up to a maximum of 70%) of the total credits. The skill component will include
practical classes in laboratories / workshops, internships, apprenticeships and any
other forms of hands on training.
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b. General Education Component: The balance credits of the program i.e. 30-40% are
of general component. This will include curricula which are supportive to the core
trade in addition to communication skills, soft skills, digital skills, critical thinking,
problem solving skills, environmental studies and value education.
The detailed guidelines can be accessed at 6556003_Guidelines-for-providing-Skill-Based-

Education-under-NSQF.pdf (ugc.ac.in) and summary document at NSQF New Guidelines.pdf
(ugc.ac.in)
IV. CREDITS STRUCTURE FOR AUTONOMOUS INSTITUTIONS LIKE IIT/IIMS
The autonomous institutions like IIT/IIMs in India are independent and each institute
implements its unique credit system. Education at such institute/s is generally organized
around the semester-based credit system of study. There is a process of continuous
evaluation of a student’s performance/progress and flexibility is allowed to students to
progress at an optimum pace suited to their ability or convenience, subject to fulfilling
minimum requirements for continuation and within the maximum allowable period for
completion of a degree.
1.2.3. Vocational education and Training/ Skilling
I. NATIONAL SKILLS QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORK (NSQF)
The National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) was notified on 27th December 2013,
by the Ministry of Finance, pursuant to the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Skill
Development held on 19th December 2013.
NSQF is a national competency-based skill framework that provides for multiple pathways,
horizontal as well as vertical to facilitate mobility both within vocational education and
training/ skilling and between vocational education and training/ skilling and general
education thus linking one level of learning to another higher level. The NSQF is also a quality
assurance framework as it organizes qualifications in a series of 8 levels based on
professional knowledge, professional skills, core skills and responsibilities, in the increasing
order of complexity and competency. These levels are defined in terms of learning outcomes
which are an explicit description of what a learner should know, understand and be able to
do as a result of learning, regardless of whether these competencies were acquired through
formal, non-formal or informal learning. This enables learners to acquire desired
competency levels, transit to the job market, and at an opportune time, return for acquiring
skills as required to further upgrade their competencies.
The NSQF is based on an outcome based approach wherein each level is defined and
described in terms of competency levels that are to be achieved, thereby enabling clear
provisions for mobility (both vertical & horizontal) and making progression pathways
transparent for students, institutions and employers. The NSQF has resulted in development
of quality qualifications applicable both in school education and higher education and has
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also helped in alignment of Indian qualifications to international qualifications through
existing qualification frameworks of other countries. The NSQF facilitates the awarding of
credit and supports credit transfer and progression routes within the Indian Education and
Training system.
NSQF is anchored in National Council for Vocational Education and Training and is
implemented through national Skills Qualification Committee (NSQC) which is set up as a
permanent secretariat in NCVET and has from Central Ministries, NITI Aayog, regulators like
AICTE, UGC and CBSE, State Skill Development Missions, Awarding bodies like the
Directorate General of Training (DGT), Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) and select industry
representatives.
The detailed NSQF notification can be accessed at https://www.ncvet.gov.in/nsqf-

notification
2. SECTION 2: GENESIS OF A NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK
2.1. NEED FOR A NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK
The National Education Policy 2020, lays emphasis on the integration of the general
(academic) education and vocational education & training/skilling with provision for
seamless horizontal and vertical mobility between the two for lifelong learning. Such
integration shall enable desired reforms in the education and skilling systems. In addition,
this integration of vocational education and training/ skilling programmes into mainstream
education at all levels, as is highlighted in NEP 2020, will lead to removal of distinction
between general and vocational education and training/ skilling while at the same time
enable establishing academic equivalence between the two which is the most important way
of making the vocational education and training/ skilling aspirational’ for the youth. The
integration would also lead to emphasizing the dignity of labour and importance of various
vocations.
To fulfil the vision of National Education Policy 2020, making education more holistic and
effective and to lay the emphasis on the integration of general (academic) education and
vocational education including Experiential learning including relevant experience and
professional levels acquired it becomes imperative to establish and formalize a national
credit accumulation and transfer system which will integrate both general & vocational
education while ensuring mobility of candidates between the two systems.
The detailed National Education Policy is available at

https://ncert.nic.in/pdf/nep//NEP_2020.pdf
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2.2. NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK- ENABLING EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION
OF NEP 2020 AND EDUCATIONAL REFORMS
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, is the first education policy of the 21st century
and aims to address the many growing developmental imperatives of our country. The NEP
proposes the revision and revamping of all aspects of the education structure, including its
regulation and governance, to create a new system that is aligned with the aspirational goals
of 21st century education, including Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), while building
upon India’s heritage, traditions and value systems. The National Education Policy lays
particular emphasis on the development of the creative potential of each individual. It is
based on the principle that education must develop not only cognitive capacities - the
‘foundational capacities’ of literacy & numeracy and ‘higher-order’ cognitive capacities, such
as critical thinking and problem solving but also social, ethical, and emotional capacities and
dispositions. Built on the foundational pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and
Accountability, the policy aims to transform India into a vibrant knowledge society and
global knowledge superpower by making both school and college education more holistic,
flexible and multidisciplinary.
NEP 2020 proposes that curriculum content will be reduced in all subject to its core
essentials, to make space for critical thinking and more holistic, inquiry-based, discovery-
based, discussion-based, and analysis based learning. The mandated content will focus on
key concepts, ideas, applications, and problem solving. Teaching and learning will be
conducted in a more interactive manner; questions will be encouraged, and classroom
sessions will regularly contain more fun, creative, collaborative, and exploratory activities
for students for deeper and more Experiential learning including relevant experience and
professional levels acquired. In all stages of education, Experiential learning including
relevant experience and professional levels acquired will be adopted, including hands-on
learning, arts-integrated and sports-integrated education, story-telling-based pedagogy,
among others, as standard pedagogy within each subject, and with explorations of relations
among different subjects. To close the gap in achievement of learning outcomes, classroom
transactions will shift, towards competency-based learning and education.
The NEP 2020 while highlighting the importance of flexible learning states that ‘imaginative
and flexible curricular structures will enable creative combinations of disciplines for study
and would offer multiple entry and exit points and thus, removes the currently prevalent
rigid boundaries. These would create new possibilities for students to choose and learn the
subject(s) of their choice, while changing the educational institute as per their preference,
convenience, or necessity’. NEP shall also help to achieve universal participation in
educational institutes by carefully tracking students, as well as their learning levels, in order
to ensure that they (a) are enrolled in and attending educational institutes, and (b) have
suitable opportunities to catch up and re-enter educational institutes in case they have fallen
behind or dropped out.
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NEP 2020, highlights the need for multidisciplinary study from the secondary education
stage. It lays particular emphasis on empowering students through flexibility in course
choices so that the learners could choose their learning trajectories and programmes, and
thereby choose their paths in life according to their talents and interests. The NEP 2020 also
proposes to establish an ‘Academic Bank of Credit’ (ABC) which could digitally store the
academic credits earned from recognized institutions so that the degrees can be awarded
taking into account credits earned.
Given the premise, a well-defined and robust credit framework will be instrumental in
enabling seamless integration and coordination across institutions and all stages of
education and skilling as envisioned in NEP. The credit framework will enable broad based,
multi-disciplinary, holistic education with flexible curricula, creative combinations of
subjects, integration of vocational education and training/ skilling and multiple entry and
exit points with appropriate certification.
2.3. BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES of NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK
2.3.1. Removal of Hard Separation Between General and Vocational education
NEP 2020 highlights that, holistic development and a wide choice of subjects and courses
should be the new distinguishing feature of secondary school education and there should be
no hard separation among ‘curricular’, ‘extracurricular’, or ‘co-curricular’, among ‘arts’,
‘humanities’, and ‘sciences’, or between ‘vocational’ or ‘academic’ streams.
Learning is a process that takes into account multi-dimensions of cognitive, emotional, social
and physical learning as well. To ensure holistic learning of students, it is desirable that they
are allowed to choose subjects according to their interests irrespective of the nature of
course (academic or vocational). The educational institutes are meant to prepare students
for handling life challenges and upheavals and it is only through this flexibility of choice with
a range of elective subjects available that will help learner/students make more informed
career choices.
The proposed credit system will take into account the learning hours put in by a learner
irrespective of the stream of education (general and vocational).
2.3.2. Establishing Equivalence Between General and Vocational education and

training/ skilling
Equivalency, in general, determines the level of education and number of years of study
completed along with the upward progression in accordance with candidate’s field of study.
By equivalence, it is understood that the evaluation of a curriculum followed by the holder
of the educational award (certificate/ diploma etc.) and its compatibility with the national
education system in terms of the learning outcomes and the gained competencies are aligned
to other curriculums and therefore considered at parity.
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In order to establish such equivalence, it is important that each program within general
education and vocational education and training/ skilling has a measurable criteria
including the outcomes and competencies backed by proper assessment which is possible
only through a robust credit framework. Such framework should enable assignment of a
measurable criteria for both general education and vocational education and training/
skilling with due emphasis on the content of the study, duration and achievement of
requisite competencies.
The credit framework shall also allow for identifying measurable outcomes through a well-
defined assessment process in order to bring equivalence of a vocational education and
skilling program with general education programs with or without any additional academic
learning. It will remove the need for equivalence certification for academic programs that
meet the NCrF requirements and facilitate interoperability, mobility and transfer of students
between schools, boards, colleges and universities, empowering greater choice and means
for students to pursue knowledge and skills of their interests, aptitude and circumstances.
2.3.3. Mobility Between and Within General and Vocational education and training/
skilling
One of the major advantages of the national credit framework will be to enable
establishment of eligibility criteria for various qualifications being implemented both in
general education and vocational education and training/ skilling in terms of accumulated
credit points at certain credit levels. These credit points can be used to determine the
eligibility for taking admission in various programs at multiple levels, subject to fulfilment
of the broad principles laid down under National Credit Framework (NCrF) and the
acceptance of the credit points by the concerned agencies. This mobility, will be an outcome
of the equivalence that is established between general and vocational education and
training/ skilling based on the criterion laid by NCrF without the need for further
certification of equivalence of academic qualifications of students.
2.3.4. Enabling Provisions for Lifelong Learning Through Multiple Entry and Exit
Options
Flexible learning is important to choose one’s learning pathway leading to the award of
certificate, diploma, and degree. There are occasions when learners pursue alternative
schooling, home-schooling, online schooling or have to give up their education mid-way for
various reasons. The national credit framework will act as an enabler in this regard and
regulators shall be required to define the entry and exit criteria of the programs being
offered by them. This would also help in fragmenting an entire program into smaller units
with due acknowledgement being given to each unit of learning.
The credit transfer mechanism will also enable a student to enter, exit and re-enter the
educational ecosystem both general and vocational at any point of time. In such cases due
weightage is proposed to be given to work experience gained or any other training
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undertaken by the learner, in offline or online mode, subject to assessment. The proposed
equivalence by virtue of this national credit framework enables a learner (whether from a
general education background or from a vocational education and training/ skilling
background) to accumulate necessary credits that will allow him/her to re-enter the
mainstream education. The ME-ME is possible when the entire education ecosystem
especially in case of higher education is divided into yearly independent modules.
The multiple entry and exit option or the lifelong learning will serve the following objectives:
 Remove rigid boundaries and facilitate new possibilities for learners.

 Recognises no hard separation between different areas of learning, i.e. arts and
sciences, vocational and academic streams, curricular and extra-curricular for the
purpose of assignment of credits and credit levels.
 Offer creative combinations of disciplines of study that would enable multiple entry
and exit points.
 Offer flexibility in curriculum and novel course options to students in addition to
discipline specific specializations.
 Offers flexibility in choice of courses to the students for choosing their own learning
trajectories and programmes, and thereby choose their paths in life with appropriate
career choice, including option for mid-way course corrections, according to their
talents and interests
 every type of learning can be creditised subject to its assessment. Also enables
creditisation of Experiential learning including relevant experience and professional
levels acquired, based on the weightage for relevant experience and proficiency levels
achieved, subject to assessment.
 Enable credit accumulation and transfer along with provision of evaluation.
 Validation of non-formal and informal learning (like alternative/ home/open/
online/distance learning from primary education to PhD) for the award of a
certificates, diploma, degree and encourage lifelong learning; and
 Facilitate encashing credits earned against a qualification/ degree when the learner
resumes his/her programmes of study.
2.3.5. Integration and Mixing of Education, Skilling and Work Experience
The proposed credit framework provides for a comprehensive and practical approach to
include all dimensions learning i.e. academic education, skilling and experiential learning
including relevant experience and professional levels acquired. Such seamless mixing of
Education, Skilling and Work Experience would enable a student/learner take full benefit of
the option of Multiple Entry-Multiple Exit wherein, the student exits an academic program,
undertakes a skill based training followed by a relevant work experience, acquires
corresponding credits and then returns back for further education/ higher education.
This also enables a student/learner to get benefit of all kinds of learning whether acquired
from academic education, vocational education & training/skilling or through Experiential
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learning including relevant experience and professional levels acquired by engaging in a
work place.
2.3.6. Enabling Educational Acceleration
This framework will also aim to address the educational acceleration of gifted students
which is when students move through traditional curriculum at rates faster than normal
pace and includes grade/class skipping, early entrance to school or college and/ or subject
based acceleration.
Within the broad principles of NCrF, the regulator may define the specific modalities for
catering to such gifted students, subject to defining special assessment criteria. Such an
approach may also be extended and special provisions must be enabled for Hackathons,
Olympiads and students showing exemplary performance in Sports, Fine Arts and other
activities. The NCrF also envisions to be a competency framework which shall, in addition to
the established processes of formal education and certification, shall also enable the gifted
learners with exceptional learning abilities/ capabilities/ competencies to move up the
education and skilling ladder without going through the prescribed established formal
education / learning hours by assessing the learning outcomes for assignment of credits
and the credit levels. However, the such specialised assessment methods have to be
very strict, objective, above board and adhere to high-standard so as to keep the
credibility of the NCrF intact.
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3. SECTION 3: DEVELOPING THE NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK
3.1. FORMULATION OF HIGH LEVEL COMMITTEE AND PREVIOUS WORK DONE
In order to fulfil the vision of NEP, 2020 and to facilitate its effective implementation, it was
felt that it is important to formulate a comprehensive framework which caters to both
General Education and Vocational Education and Training/ Skilling and also seamlessly
aligns and integrates them. This was further emphasized upon by the Hon’ble Minister MSDE
and MoE who suggested that the credit frameworks made in silos will not be conducive to
address the challenges existing in the entire educational and skilling ecosystem and hence it
is imperative that a national credit framework be developed across academics (school
education, higher education) and vocational education & skilling.
Accordingly, a High-Level Committee, with well-defined ToRs was constituted by MSDE vide
Order dated 18th November 2021, to develop a National Credit Accumulation and Transfer
Framework for both General and Vocational Education and Training/ skilling. This
framework should enable integration of academic and vocational domains of learning and
ensure flexibility and mobility between the two. The Committee had representation from
heads/ senior officials of Ministry of Education (including school and higher education),
UGC, AICTE, NCERT, NIOS, CBSE, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
(MSDE), NCVET and DGT. The committee was to be Chaired by Dr. Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi,
IAS Retd., Chairperson, National Council of Vocational Education and Training (NCVET).
The ToR of the Committee and scope is also detailed below:
To formulate a framework for allocation of credits to every component of learning i.e. theory,
practical, extracurricular, and experiential for general as well as vocational education and
training/ skilling, to facilitate mobility within VET and from VET to general education. This
framework is envisaged to cater to the following specific objectives:
i. To define credit, components of credit and corresponding credit value
ii. To devise a formula for calculating the credit/s for School Education, Higher
Education, and VET.
iii. To formulate a framework for credit accumulation for School Education, Higher
Education, and VET.
iv. To formulate a framework for credit transfer for VET & School Education, and vice-
versa; and VET & Higher Education, and vice-versa.
v. Establish Academic Equivalence:
 Between General Education and Vocational (both for School and Higher
Education)
 Within Vocational education and training/ skilling
vi. Identify the mechanism for accumulation, storage, and redemption of credit through
Credit Bank
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3.2. THE NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK: THE MOTHER FRAMEWORK AND BASIC
PRINCIPLES
The National Credit Framework (NCrF) is a comprehensive framework encompassing

elementary, school, higher, and vocational education & training, integrating the learning on
three-axis i.e. academics, vocational skills and Experiential learning including relevant
experience and professional levels acquired which has been jointly developed by UGC,
AICTE, NCVET, NIOS, CBSE, NCERT, Ministry of Education, DGT, and Ministry of Skill
Development.
The NCrF has been build and developed on the existing regulations guidelines and
qualification frameworks of UGC, AICTE, NCVET, NCERT & NIOS so that the options for
Multiple Entry-Multiple Exit (ME-ME) are accessible and applicable across the higher
education, school education and vocational education.
The National Higher Education Qualifications Framework (NHEQF) has been formulated by
UGC to achieve the objectives of NEP with detailed level descriptors and learning outcomes.
The NHEQF and National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) are in sync with each other
to ease the integration of vocational education into higher education. The National Credit
Framework (NCrF) seamlessly integrates higher education and vocational education and is
totally aligned with the NHEQF and NSQF while also integrating school education [National
School Education Qualifications Framework (NSEQF)] in continuum. Till now there was no
credit framework in place for school education.
The National Credit Framework (NCrF) is the mother framework which enables seamless
integration and coordination across regulators and institutions to enable broad based,
multi-disciplinary, holistic education across sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities and
sports, allows imaginative and flexible curricular structures, enables creative combinations
of disciplines and integration of vocational education & skilling into academics with multiple
entry and exit options.
3.2.1. National Credit Framework (NCrF) to be an Umbrella Framework
The National Credit Framework (NCrF) shall be an inclusive umbrella framework to

integrate the credits earned through school education, higher education and vocational &
skill education. It shall also act as umbrella framework to cater to the needs of all HEIs/
institutions including the autonomous institutions and institutes of National Importance
including IITs, IIMs, IIITs, IISERs, and NITs as these institutions may also take the advantage
of NCrF. Moreover, for creditisation and integration of all learning, the National Credit
Framework (NCrF) shall encompass the qualification frameworks for higher education,
vocational & skill education and school education, namely National Higher Education
Qualification Framework (NHEQF), National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) and
National School Education Qualification Framework (NSEQF) respectively.
Accordingly, the integration of all qualification frameworks into NCrF document has been
discussed and deliberated at various levels. After detailed deliberations, it has been decided
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that the National Credit Framework (NCrF) will be the mother document integrating the
credits in the dimensions of academics, skilling and also the experiential learning including
relevant experience and professional levels acquired.
Thus, there would be only one credit framework for higher education, school education and
skill education, namely the National Credit Framework (NCrF) which would be the mother
framework document for integrating the creditisation of learning in dimensions of
academics, skilling and Experiential learning including relevant experience and professional
levels acquired and only single credit system would be operationalised through Academic
Bank of Credits (ABC). The qualification frameworks for school, higher education and skills
would be addendum to NCrF and aligned with it. The basic principles and provisions of
National Credit Framework (NCrF) would apply to all the qualification frameworks (NHEQF
and NSQF are already aligned with NCrF), particularly to the following aspects:
a. Provision for creditisation of all types of learnings; Assignments of Credit levels
for all learnings for seamless integration,
b. Provision for integration of learning in all dimensions of academics and skilling
along with experiential learning including relevant experience and
professional levels acquired;
c. Assignment of one single Credit levels i.e. NCrF Credits Levels applicable across
all qualification frameworks; no other separate Credit levels to be assigned by any
stakeholders;
d. Assignment, Accumulation, Storage, Transfer & Redemption of Credits.
Assignment of credits to be independent of the streams, subjects or any learning, of
course subject to assessment;
e. Assignment of Credits also for online, digital and blended learning;
f. Credit system to be operationalised through Academic Bank of Credits (ABC);
g. The total Notional Learning Hours for assignment of credits to be uniform across
school education, higher education and vocational education & training/skilling;
h. The assessment is mandatory for earning credits.
i. Academic equivalence of vocational education and skilling programmes;
j. Multiple entry and exit options; ensuring horizontal and vertical mobility;
k. Provision of multi-disciplinary and holistic education across sciences, social
sciences, arts, humanities and sports;
l. No hard separation between different areas of learning, i.e. arts and sciences,
vocational and academic streams, curricular and extra-curricular for the purpose of
assignment of credits and credit levels;
m. Allow imaginative and flexible curricular structures, enables creative
combinations of disciplines; redesigning the curriculum and pedagogy to not only
capture the emerging technology but also include heritage & traditional knowledge
to ensure education is relatable, relevant, interesting, and effective for students.
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n. Provision for integration of vocational education & skilling into academic
education at all levels;
o. Empowerment of students for flexibility in choice of courses/choosing their own
learning trajectories and programme. Option for mid-way course corrections;
p. Provision for Recognition of Prior Learning, and NCrF credit levels and credit
assignment for the same for main-streaming the learners who are out of formal
education and skilling ecosystem.
q. Supports educational acceleration for students with gifted learning abilities;
r. Provision for RPL with or without upskilling
However, the credits are to be integrated from the different qualification frameworks i.e.
school education (NSEQF), higher education including technical education (NHEQF) as well
as vocational education, training & skilling (NSQF). A qualifications framework is a
formalized structure in which learning level descriptors and qualifications are used in order
to define and understand learning outcomes. Therefore, these Qualification Frameworks
would be necessary to be maintained, inter-alia, for the following purposes for
implementation of the intent of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 as also for the
operationalisation of the National Credit Framework (NCrF) by the school education, higher
education and vocational education & skilling:
a. The curricular structure for accreditation/ approval of qualifications;
b. Planning and delivery of education/ skilling programmes;
c. Developing, designing of curriculum, courses, qualifications;
d. Developing syllabus, content, pedagogy, teaching and learning resources;
e. Information about the broad equivalence of qualifications;
f. Defining Learning outcomes, which the learner must possess, (regardless of whether
they were acquired through formal, non-formal or informal learning);
g. The level descriptors for school education, higher education and vocational education
& skilling. These levels are defined in terms of learning outcomes;
h. Defining entry criteria and academic equivalence;
i. Nomenclature and award of certificates, diplomas and degrees.
The National Credit Framework (NCrF) shall act as a broad enabling framework for all
regulatory organizations (UGC, AICTE, NCVET, NCERT etc.), and autonomous institutions,
including Universities, INIs, CBSE, NIOS, State School Boards, State Technical Education
Boards, etc. who may, wherever required, notifying their detailed implementation
guidelines within this Framework. Thus, the National Credit Framework (NCrF) is an
enabling framework which empowers institutions and enables them with the required
flexibility for catering to their specific academic requirements for creating imaginative and
flexible curricular structures, creative combinations of disciplines and other special
needs.
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While the NCrF lays down broad framework and enabling provisions and basic
guidelines for achieving the intent of NEP has been included in this document, the
responsibility of implementing the provisions defined in the NCrF through detailed
operational guidelines viz. Multiple Entry, Multiple Exit, entry and exit modules for
implementing ME-ME, SOPs for credit assignment, transfer and redemption, credit
validation and expiry, creditisation of digital/ online learning, flexible curricular structures,
ratios of skill/ multi-disciplinary credits vs. academic/ other credits to be earned under a
program, assessment methods for educational acceleration, Recognition of Prior Learning,
establishing entry criteria for various programs etc, shall lie with the concerned regulator
and/or autonomous organizations, as applicable.
3.2.2. Defining Credit and Calculating Credit Points
‘Credit’ is recognition that a learner has completed a prior course of learning, corresponding
to a qualification at a given level. For each such prior qualification, the student would have
put in a certain volume of institutional or workplace learning, and the more complex a
qualification, the greater the volume of learning that would have gone into it. Credits
quantify learning outcomes that are subject to valid, reliable methods of assessment.
The credit points give learners, employers, and institutions a means of describing and
comparing the learning outcomes achieved. The credit points can be calculated as credits
attained multiplied with the credit level.
3.2.3. Total Learning Hours in a Year for Calculation of Credit
In line with the philosophy of NEP 2020, which emphasizes on considering any kind of
learning as part of the overall learning and doing away with the distinction between
curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular, it was felt that the overall notional learning
hours across the academic classes including pre-school, school and higher education should
be aligned. This would lead to consistency and standardisation in the entire education and
vocational ecosystem, mainstreaming both formal and informal education system and also
smoothen the implementation of the proposed credit framework.
Accordingly, it has been agreed by all stakeholders that under the National Credit
Framework (NCrF) the total Notional Learning Hours for assignment of credits across school
education, higher education and vocational education & training/skilling have been agreed
to be 1200 Hrs per year (except for pre-school up to grade 5th wherein the learning hours
range from 800 to 1000 hours) for which the students shall be awarded 40 Credits. Thus 20
Credits shall be awarded for a six-months semester with 600 Notional Learning Hours. For
the purpose of calculations under the National Credit Framework (NCrF) 30 notional
learning hours will be counted as one Credit. However, the assignment of credits is
independent of the streams, subjects or any learning subject to assessment. The students
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also have a choice to take additional courses/ programs/subjects/projects beyond 40
credits to get additional credits.
NCrF recognises no hard separation between different areas of learning, i.e. arts and
sciences, vocational and academic streams, curricular and extra-curricular for the purpose
of assignment of credits and credit levels. Accordingly, the learning shall not be limited to
only instructional hours but also encompass all other activities in the educational
institutions, earlier categorised as curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular. In the true
spirit of National Education Policy 2020, the total outcome based learning hours for credits
shall, subject to assessment, include:
i. Classroom teaching/ learning hours
ii. Lab work/ innovation labs/ projects
iii. Yearly and half-yearly examinations/ class tests/ quiz/ assessments including
formative assessments
iv. Experiential learning including relevant experience and professional levels acquired
activity hours
a. Performing arts, music, handicraft work,
b. Debate and Discussion/ Essay Writing / Recitation Competition
c. Story Writing competition
d. Celebration of festivals in institutes, music performance, Drama.
e. Other Contests
v. Sports/ games / physical activity / yoga
vi. Life skills including employment skills
vii. Social/ community work/ NCC/ shramdan: School cleaning, building, decoration
viii. Bag less days, field visits organised by the institution
ix. vocational education/ training, skilling, minor/ major project work, assignments
x. Field visits/ Industry attachment by institutions
xi. Internship and apprenticeship hours, on the job training (OJT), and Experiential
learning including relevant experience and professional levels acquired
xii. Blended/ online/ digital learning
xiii. Self-study/ Home assignments (for NIOS)
xiv. Any other type of learning as may be notified by the regulators concerned
Such an approach would also close the gap in achievement of learning outcomes, shifting the
classroom education towards competency and learning outcome-based learning and
education.
Thus under the National Credit Framework (NCrF) every learning can be creditised subject
to its assessment. For earning credits, the course/ qualification should be NSQF/ NHEQF
aligned and approved with a defined NCrF level, clearly indicating the desired outcomes
expected. Also the learning outcome shall be assessed after completing the course/
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qualification for assignment of credits. It will be under the purview of respective regulator/
institution to determine the content/ curriculum of a program. The basis of assessing credits
related to sports, fine arts etc shall be defined and determined by the concerned regulator/
school board. The curriculum must align with principles as defined in NEP including life
skills such as communication, cooperation, teamwork, and resilience; which are included as
part of NSQF and NHEQF in form of employability skills (ES).
A snapshot of learning hours across grades (from pre-school to Ph.D) is given in table below.
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Table 2: Learning hours across academic classes
S. Stakeholders of Education, Total Notional Remarks
No. Higher Education, Technical Learning
Education, and Vocational Hours in/ by
education and training/ the Institution
skilling System per year*
1. School Education: Foundational 800

stage (5 Years) (3 years of
Anganwadi/ pre-school/
Balvatika) (Ages 3-6) +
2 Years (Class 1 & 2) (Ages 6-8)
2. School Education: Preparatory 1000

Stage: 3 Years, (Class 3 to 5)
(Age 8-11)
3. School Education: Middle Stage: 1200 1000 Hours of

3 Years, (Class 6 to 8)(Age 11- Educational Learning
14) + 200 Hours of
learning through
other activities
4. School Education: Secondary 1200 1080 Hours of

Stage: 4 Years, (Class 9 to 12), Educational Learning
(Age 14-18) + 120 Hours of
learning through
other activities
5. NIOS: 8th Grade/ 10th Grade/ 12th 1200 8th/ 10th or 12th
Grade (with a gap of 2 years certificate from
between each) NIOS/ School Board
6. DGT: 1-Year ITI after 8th Plus 1200+ 240 hrs NTC + 9th Class
NIOS (NIOS**/ certificate from
STT***) +150 hr NIOS/ School Board
of project
7. DGT: 2-Years ITI After 8th grade 1200+ 240 hrs NTC + 10th Class
plus NIOS or 1-Year ITI plus 1- (NIOS/ STT) certificate from
Year NAC after 8th plus NIOS +150 hr of NIOS/ School Board
project
8. DGT: 1-Year ITI after 10th Plus 1200+ 240 hrs NTC + 11th Class
NIOS (NIOS/ STT) certificate from
+150 hr of NIOS/ School Board
project
9. DGT: 2-Years ITI After 10th plus 1200+ 240 hrs NTC + 12th Class
NIOS or 1-Year ITI plus 1-Year (NIOS/ STT) certificate from
NAC After 10th plus NIOS +150 hr of NIOS/ School Board
project
10. AICTE: 3 Years Diploma after 1200 This does not include
10th self-study hours but
includes industry
Page 35 of 85
attachments/
internships
11. DGT: 1-Year to 2-Year ITI after 1200 This does not include
includes industry
attachments/
internships
12. AICTE: 2-Years Diploma after 1200 This does not include
includes industry
attachments/
internships
13. AICTE: 3-Years Bachelor’s 1200 This does not include

degree in Vocation (B.Voc) after self-study hours but
12th includes industry
attachments/
internships
14. AICTE: 4-Years Bachelor’s 1200 This does not include

degree in Engineering/ self-study hours but
Technology after 12th includes industry
attachments/
internships
15. AICTE: - Year Post Graduation 1200 This does not include
Diploma after Bachelor’s degree self-study hours but
includes industry
attachments/
internships
16. AICTE: 2-Years Master’s Degree 1200 This does not include
after Bachelor’s degree self-study hours but
includes industry
attachments/
internships
17. UGC: 1-Year Undergraduate 1200 This does not include

Certificate after 12th self-study hours but
includes industry
attachments/
internships
18. UGC: 2-Years Undergraduate 1200 This does not include

Diploma after 12th self-study hours but
includes industry
attachments/
internships
19. UGC: 3-Yyears Bachelor’s degree 1200 This does not include
after 12th self-study hours but
includes industry
attachments/
internships
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20. UGC: 4-year UG with Honours / 1200 This does not include
Honours with Research, after self-study hours but
12th includes industry
attachments/
internships
21. UGC: 1-Year Post-Graduate 1200 This does not include

Diploma after 3-years Bachelor’s self-study hours but
degree includes industry
attachments/
internships
22. UGC: 2-Years Master’s Degree 1200 This does not include
after 3-years Bachelor’s degree self-study hours but
OR includes industry
1-Years Master’s Degree 4-year attachments/
UG with Honours / Honours with internships
Research
23. UGC: Doctoral program - Ph.D. (3 1200 -

to 5 Years) after Master’s degree
* These hours will not include the self-study hours except in case of except in the case of distance education,
home-schooling, alternative schooling, online education and open education (NIOS) where it is part of the
overall learning hour
** NIOS is National Institute of Open Schooling. In NIOS, self-study forms a major component for a learner
as the study material in ODL system specifically of NIOS is called Self Learning Material (SLM) which are
quite exhaustive in content and not Text Book. The face to face classroom teaching is limited to Personal
Contact Programme (PCPs) which are conducted during weekends or on holidays in order to facilitate
learners from various heterogeneous group having understanding issues/doubts during their self-
learning/study. In case of NIOS, the 1200 hours per year is assigned for self-study +PCP +Assignments
+Internal +Theory +Practical +Portfolio +projects +Internship.
*** STT is Short Term Vocational education and training/ skilling
3.2.4. Credit Levels in the National Credit Framework and Level Descriptors
In order to align with the international best practices being followed wrt assigning credit
levels, the NCrF has proposed that the maximum levels within this framework shall
uniformly be upto level 8.
 The credit level that can be attained after completion of school education i.e. grade
12th will be level 4.
 The higher education shall be from credit levels of 4.5 and to level 8.
 For the Vocational Education and Training/ skilling the NCrF credit levels are from
level 1 to 8 wherein the level 1 is of lowest level of competence and complexity while
level 8 indicates highest level of competence and complexity.
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The Credit levels to be assigned across school/ higher/ vocational education/ skilling,
(independent of the streams, subjects etc) will be based on the cumulative numbers of years
of learning with assessment.
The level descriptors for deciding the NCrF credit levels have been defined for every
qualification framework. These descriptors describe the knowledge, skills and outcome
based learning expected to be attained by a student/learner at various levels in the
qualification framework. The learning outcomes could also be specific to disciplinary areas
of learning Generic learning outcomes.
E.g. In case of National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), there are 5 level descriptors
namely Professional Theoretical Knowledge, Professional and Technical Skills/ Expertise,
Employment Readiness & Entrepreneurship Skills & Mind-set, Broad Learning Outcomes,
and Responsibility for deciding the NCrF level to be assigned. NSQF also has entry
requirements, notional hours, NCrF credit levels earned (which is in line with NCrF)
Similarly, for National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF), the element of
the Descriptor includes knowledge and understanding, skills required to perform and
accomplish tasks; application of knowledge and skills; generic learning outcomes;
Constitutional, humanistic, ethical, and moral values; employment- ready skills and
entrepreneurship skills and mindset; Credit requirements, Entry requirements for deciding
the NCrF level to be assigned.
3.2.5. Credits Against Total Notional Hours
In accordance with the international best practice and the current recommendations of
NHEQF, the framework proposes that the number of credits per year for 1200 learning hours
will be 40. Accordingly, every semester will comprise of 20 credits. Any additional program/
course undertaken by the student/ learner beyond the 1200 learning hours or beyond the
purview of the course syllabus, shall be considered for additional credits that can be earned
by the student/ learner. Therefore, the minimum credits that a student/learner can earn in
a year shall be 40.
The NCrF provides basic guidelines on total learning hours in a year or part thereof and
credits to be allocated based on those learning hours. The assignment credits for learning
hours may be further defined for theory, practical and Experiential learning including
relevant experience and professional levels acquired for calculation of one credit, which
shall be under the purview of the regulator concerned. However, these differential ways of
credit assignment will conform to the basic principles of total notional hours in a year and
total credits to be allocated within a year of study.
Wherever necessary, if the curriculum so demands, the concerned regulator/ autonomous

institution may consider having more than 40 credits for a particular program. However, the
minimum credits for any program against 1200 hours of learning in a year will be 40.
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3.2.6. Credits for Additional Learning
Any additional program/ course undertaken by the student/ learner beyond the prescribed
1200 learning hours or beyond the purview of the course syllabus, shall be considered for
assignment of additional credits that can be earned by the student/ learner. Such programs
could be custom programs to cater to the industry requirements run either directly by the
institutions of through the industry/ organization. Hence depending on his or her interest,
talent and capability, a student may earn credits beyond the ceiling of 40 credits. This
provision will enable the student to undertake the dual degree/ dual Qualification programs
as notified by UGC/ permitted by NCVET. This shall also encourage and provide for other
School Boards / Regulatory Bodies to offer students further flexibility, mobility and
opportunities including ME-ME.
3.2.7. Assessment Band
The basic principle of the credit framework is that credits are a function of successful
completion of a program of study/ vocational education/ training and assessment. No credit
can be earned by the student unless the student is assessed for the achievement of the
desired competencies and outcome of a program.
It is also clear that in case of academic education (both school and higher education)
progression to the next grade is dependent on the assessment. For eg. unless a student clears
8th grade, the student cannot appear for 10th grade and unless the student clears 10th, the
student cannot appear for 12th exam. Similarly, in case of higher education, for enrolling in
a Higher Education Institute (HEI) “Certificate obtained after successful completion of Grade
12 or equivalent state of education” is a must. Hence, this becomes a mandatory assessment
stage to clear for entry into higher education. Therefore, in general education there are
major assessment stages which are mandatory before the student goes to the next step.
In addition, to enable implementation of multiple entry- multiple exit options, assessment is

a compulsory element after each year of school, graduation and post-graduation and also
after a skilling course. This means that the student will be earning credit/s after every year/
semester/ Qualification of education/ vocational education/ skilling which they go through
and hence the framework needs to cater to this requirement.
The assessment is thus mandatory for earning credits for all types of learning and
progression to the next assessment band. The Credits for the two courses/ qualifications/
programs may be accumulated and added to each other if these are earned in the same
assessment band, subject to the guidelines of respective regulators. The regulator may also
consider setting up of broad learning outcomes for each level and bands so defined.
The total Credit Points earned by the student could be obtained by multiplying the credits
earned with the NCrF Level at which the credits have been earned. The credit points may be
redeemed as per Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) guidelines for entry or admission in school,
Page 39 of 85
higher, technical or Vocational Education programs/ courses at multiple levels enabling
horizontal and vertical mobility with various lateral entry options.
The National Credit Framework (NCrF) also enables creditisation of Experiential learning
including relevant experience and professional levels acquired, based on the weightage for
relevant experience and proficiency levels achieved, subject to assessment.
Accordingly, the assessment bands so formulated are as indicated in the Table 3.
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Table 3: NCrF levels for different academic grades/ Vocational Education & Training/ Skilling* and Assessment Bands
Academic Band/ Academic Grade/ Levels- Vocational Education National Credit Credits Credit
Hours of Learning School Education & Higher Long Term Trg/ Short Framework (NCrF) Earned/ Points Assessment Stage and equivalence
per year Education Term Trg (LTT/STT) Credit levels year Earned
Doctoral Degree PhD NSQF Level 8 STT 8.0 40 320
PG degree (1/2 yrs)/ PG- 2nd (Eng) NSQF Level 7 STT 7.0 40 280 M.Tech. 2nd Yr,/ Engg PG Degree
ME/ M Tech (1200
Hrs/yr) PG – 2nd yr/ PG 1st yr (Eng) NSQF Level 6.5 STT 6.5 40 260 PG Degree/ M.Voc / M.Sc (eng)
4-year UG with honours/
UG- Degree (Hons)/ PG –
Honours with Research / NSQF Level 6 STT 6.0 40 240
Diploma/B.Tech/B.E
PG – 1st yr
4-year UG with 10th+5-Yr NTC/NAC/CITS,
honours/ Honours UG- 3rd Year 12th+3-Yr NTC/NAC/CITS, 5.5 40 220 UG- Degree/ B.Voc/ B.Sc Eng
with Research / B.E./ NSQF Level 5.5 STT
B.Tech. OR 10th+4-Yr NTC/NAC/CITS,
3 year UG (1200 UG- 2nd Year 12th+2-Yr NTC/NAC/CITS, 5.0 40 200 UG- Diploma/ Diploma-Eng
Hrs/yr) NSQF Level 5 STT
10th+3-Yr NTC/NAC/CITS,
UG- 1st Year/equivalent 12th+1-Yr NTC/NAC/CITS, 4.5 40 180 UG- Certificate
NSQF Level 4.5 STT
10th+2-Yr NTC/NAC/CITS, Class XII
2 year- Senior Class XII NSQF Level 4 STT
4.0 40 160
(thru CBSE/ School Boards/ NIOS)
Secondary (1200
Hrs/yr) 10th+1-Yr NTC/NAC/CITS, Class XI
Class XI NSQF Level 3.5 STT
3.5 40 140
8th+2-Yr NTC/NAC, Class X
Class X NSQF Level 3 STT
3.0 40 120
2 Year- Secondary (thru CBSE/School Boards/ NIOS)
(1200 Hrs/yr) 8th+1-Yr NTC/NAC, Class IX
Class IX NSQF Level 2.5 STT
2.5 40 100
Class VIII NSQF Level 2 STT 2.0 40 80 Class VIII (thru School Boards/ NIOS)
3 year- Middle
Class VII 1.67 40 67
(1200 Hrs/yr)
Class VI 1.33 40 53
Class V NSQF Level 1 STT 1.0 33 33 Class V (thru School Boards/ NIOS)
3 year- Preparatory
Class IV 0.8 33 26.4
(1000 Hrs/yr)
Class III 0.6 33 19.8
Class II 0.4 27 10.8
5 year Foundational
Class I 0.2 27 5.4
(800 Hrs / yr)
Pre-School (3 years) 0.1x3 27x3=81 8.1
* would include other entry criteria as well like min education and experience at that level. The equivalent criteria for NTC/NAC are detailed in table 9 below
Page 41 of 85
3.2.8. Major Dimensions of National Credit Framework
The National Credit Framework encompasses the following main components/

dimensions of learning:
 Credits earned by virtue of completed academic education

 Credits earned by virtue of undergoing vocational education, training/ skill
program
 Credit points earned by virtue of relevant Experiential learning including
relevant experience and professional levels acquired
a. Academic Education – School Education, Higher Education, Professional Education
At present, the school education system follows a system of progression of academic

classes that is dependent on a student successfully clearing the requirements of a
particular class/ grade to proceed to next. To formulate a comprehensive and holistic
credit framework, that also takes into account the learning acquired during schooling and
through informal modes either by homeschooling, open schooling or online schooling, it
is necessary that a credit system at the school level is also developed.
For higher and professional education, frameworks namely CBCS and SAMVAY (for skill
based programs) exist and largely the education ecosystem has been aligned with these
frameworks. These frameworks however, were not able to fully address the
requirements of assigning credits to vocational education and training/ skilling or school
education and other forms of learning. The National Credit Framework therefore seeks
to cater to all kinds/ types/ forms/ levels of academic education, be it school, higher/
professional or/ and vocational.
b. Vocational Education and Training/ Skilling
With the emphasis on mainstreaming vocational education and training/ skilling under
the National Education Policy 2020, it is important that the skill/vocational programs
undertaken by students/learners are also assigned credits. One of the aims of the
national credit framework is to creditise vocational education and training/ skilling,
thereby, enabling seamless integration of vocational education and training/ skilling with
the general education through credit accumulation & transfer mechanism. This will
specifically enable students who have to discontinue general education and undertake
short-term skilling program(s) for early employment and to enable them to gain credits
for vertical and horizontal mobility and further progression.
c. Relevant Experience/ Proficiency
One of the most unique, practical & beneficial features of the National Credit Framework
is assignment of credit points/ weightage to the Relevant experiential learning including
relevant experience and professional levels acquired/ proficiency levels of a learner/
Page 42 of 85
student. This means that the experience attained by a person after undergoing a
particular education (including vocational) shall be considered for assignment of credits.
The credit assigned by virtue of relevant experience would enable learners to progress in
their career through the work hours put in during a job/employment. This
experience/proficiency could be either an extension of the academic learning or Skill
based learning and should be earned within the ‘same domain at the same level(s)’.
Detailed modalities of the same have been explained in the later sections.
Thus the National Credit Framework (NCrF) provides for Assignment, Accumulation,
Storage, Transfer & Redemption of Credits in alignment with the National Higher
Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF), National School Education Qualifications
Framework (NSEQF), which is a new concept, and National Skill Qualification Framework
(NSQF) which are the comprehensive credit-based Academic & Skill Qualification
frameworks.
A diagrammatic view of the dimensions of the credit assignment is in figure I below:
Page 43 of 85
Page 44 of 85
3.3. ASSIGNMENT OF CREDITS IN NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK
3.3.1. Credits Assigned by Virtue of Academic Education
I. School Education
Based on the principles defined in the sections above, the total credits attained by a
student who has completed one year of education are 40. These 40 credits are earned
on a yearly basis subject to successful completion of the assessment at that level/ class/
grade. Currently, National Skills Qualification Framework is totally in sync with the
qualification framework being followed at school level and the same may be implemented
till such time the National School Education Qualification Framework (proposed for
School education) is formulated and notified. The assignment of credits at school level is
given in the Table below:
Table 4: NCrF levels and credit assignment for school education

S. No Academic Education School Number Credits Credit Credit
Band Edu of Hours for hours Levels as Points
Grade/ of study / year per NCrF Earned *
Level
C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-7 C-8 (C6 X C7)
Pre-Primary School 800X3 27x3 0.1 8
1 Primary School(I-V) Class I 800 27 0.2 5
2 Primary School(I-V) Class II 800 27 0.4 11
3 Primary School(I-V) Class III 1000 33 0.6 20
4 Primary School(I-V) Class IV 1000 33 0.8 26
5 Primary School(I-V) Class V 1000 33 1.0 33
6 Middle School(VI-VII) Class VI 1200 40 1.33 53
7 Middle School(VI-VII) Class VII 1200 40 1.67 67
8 Middle School(VI-VII) Class VIII 1200 40 2.0 80
9 High School (IX-X) class IX 1200 40 2.5 100
10 High School (IX-X) Class X 1200 40 3.0 120
11 Sr. Sec. School (XI-XII) Class XI 1200 40 3.5 140
12 Sr. Sec. School (XI-XII) Class XII 1200 40 4.0 160
*rounded off to the nearest decimal
II. Higher Education
In case of higher education, all one year programs offered will have notional learning
hours of 1200 hours with 40 credits. The concerned regulator (UGC and AICTE) may add
more programs in the one-year program thereby leading to increased learning hours
beyond 1200 notional hours of learning and higher overall credits while ensuring that
Page 45 of 85
the broad contours of the National Credit Framework are adhered to. The regulators/
autonomous institution may consider having baskets of courses in addition to the flagship
programs keeping in view the industry and user organizations.
Accordingly, the assignment of credits wrt Higher education as prescribed under NHEQF,
for all streams including science/ commerce/ arts and Engineering (technical) is as given
below:
Table 5: NCrF levels and Credit Assignment in Higher Education

Sr. EXAMPLES OF HIGHER EDUCATION TOTAL TOTAL NATIONAL CREDITS
No QUALIFICATIONS LOCATED WITHIN EACH LEANING CREDITS CREDIT POINTS
LEVEL (Including Science/ Arts. Commerce HOURS PER YEAR FRAMEWORK
and Vocational) PER YEAR (NCRF) CREDIT
LEVELS
C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 (C-4 X
C-5)
1 Undergraduate Certificate 1200 40 4.5 180
Programme duration: first year (first two
semesters) of any undergraduate
programme
2 Undergraduate Diploma 1200 40 5 200
Programme duration: first two years
(first four semesters) of any
undergraduate programme.
3 Bachelor’s Degree 1200 40 5.5 220
Programme duration: three years (Six
programme.
4 Bachelor’s Degree (Honours/ 1200 40 6 240
research/ Engineering).
Programme duration: four years (eight
programme.
5 Post-Graduate Diploma. 1200 40
Programme duration: One year (2
semesters) after any bachelor’s degree
i. PGD after 3-year bachelor degree/ 2 i. 6 i. 240
semesters of the 2-year master’s degree
programme.
ii. PGD after 4 year bachelor degree ii. 6.5 ii. 260
6 Master’s Degree. 1200 40 6.5 260
Programme duration: One year (two
semesters) after obtaining a Bachelor’s
degree (Honours/Research).
7 Master’s Degree. 1200 40 6.5 260
Programme duration: two years (four
semesters) after obtaining a 3 yr
Bachelor’s degree.
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8 Master’s degree. 1200 40 7.0 280

Programme duration: two years (four
semesters) after obtaining a Bachelor’s
Engineering degree.
9 Doctoral degree 1200 40 8.0 320
III. OTHERS LIKE ONLINE/ BLENDED/ OPEN & DISTANCE LEARNING

The Credit assignment is a function of total hours of learning put in by a student in a year
versus total credits available in a year. The learning hours irrespective of the mode of
learning (offline, online or blended) shall continue to follow the broad principles
specified in previous sections which also form the core of the NCrF. The only exception
being the hours may include the self-study hours, as applicable in the case of distance
education, home-schooling, alternative schooling, and open education.
Assignment of Credits has also been enabled for online and blended learning in vocational
education and skilling to expand the open /distance learning options and to promote
extensive use of technology in learning & skilling. This would help in overcoming the
constraints of physical infrastructure & scalability while enhancing access, equity, and
affordability and ensuring quality and accountability. The blended learning option shall
also enhance accessibility of learning in Indian language for 90% non-English medium
students as well as for Divyangs.
3.3.2. Credits Assigned by Virtue of undergoing Vocational Education and

Training/ Skilling
For the vocational education and training/ skilling ecosystem, wrt credit assignment,
the following shall be applicable:
 Total notional learning hours in a year (for purpose of calculating credits): 1200
 Credits to be allocated in a year with 1200 notional learning hours: 40
 Therefore, number of notional hours leading to one credit unit= 1200/ 40 = 30
The credit assignment for vocational/ skill education as per NSQF levels & credit
assignment at different levels is reflected in the Table No. 6.
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Table 6: NCrF Levels and Credit Assignment in Vocational Education and Training/ Skilling
NSQF/ NSQF/ Minimum entry criteria for undergoing Short Term Training (STT) at the Minimum Range of Long Term Training Credit
NCrF level National given level Notional hours of LTT Course viz. Points
at Entry/ Credit Short Term Craftsmen Training earned
Equivalent Framework Training/ STT Scheme (CTS) in
Grade/ (NCrF) (Theory + Practical Industrial Training (NCrF/
years of level + OJT) (Notional Institutes (ITIs), NSQF
Academic attained Hours for each - In Crafts Instructor Level X
education after VET/ Multiple of 30) Training Scheme 40)
Skill Trg subject to (CITS) & National
(STT/ LTT) assessment Apprenticeship
Certificate (NAC)
Min Education/ Skilling required Minimum Req Relevant
Experience*
Fresher Level 1  No formal education prescribed No Experience required 150-210 Hours No LTT course 40
OR
600 hours of
Apprenticeship
Fresher or Level 2  No formal education prescribed No Experience required. 210-270 Hours No LTT courses 80
Level 1  May require ability to read and write for However, 1 year relevant experience OR
some qualifications may be desirable for some 750 hours of
qualifications apprenticeship
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF No Experience required
Level 1
Level 2 Level 2.5  8th Grade pass No Experience required 240-300 Hours 1-year Vocational 100
 8th Grade pass and pursuing continuous education & Training/
schooling Skilling (NTC/ NAC)
after Grade 8
 Grade 5 3 year relevant experience
AND
 Ability to read and write 3 year relevant experience (for NTC only) 150
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 6 months relevant experience hours of project work
Level 2
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 1 year relevant experience AND
Level 1 (For NTC/NAC only)
240 hours of Language
course
Page 48 of 85
Level 2.5 Level 3  Grade 9 No Experience required 270-390 Hours 2 years of Vocational 120
 Grade 8 with one year of (NTC/ NAC) No Experience required education & Training/
after 8th Skilling (NTC/ NAC)
after Grade 8
 Grade 8 pass and pursuing continuous
schooling in regular school with
vocational subject AND
(for NTC only)
 8th grade pass 1 year relevant experience
150 hours of project
 5th grade pass 4 year relevant experience work
 Ability to read and write 5 year relevant experience
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 1 year relevant experience AND
Level 2 (For NTC/NAC only)
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 6 months relevant experience 240 hours of Language
Level 2.5 course
Level 3 Level 3.5  10th Grade pass No Experience required 360-420 Hours 1 year of Vocational 140
 10th grade pass and pursuing continuous education & Training/
schooling Skilling (NTC/ NAC)
After Grade 10
 8th grade pass with two years of NTC No Experience required
 8th Grade pass with 1 year NTC plus 1
year NAC AND
(for NTC only)
 8th Grade pass with 1 year NTC plus 1
year CITS 150 hours of project
work
 8th Grade pass 2 year relevant experience
 5th Grade pass 5 year relevant experience AND
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 2 year relevant experience (For NTC/NAC only)
Level 2.5 240 hours of Language
course
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 1 year relevant experience
Level 3
Level 3.5 Level 4  11th grade pass No Experience required 390-480 Notional 1 to 2 years of 160
Hours of Training Vocational education &
 Completed 1st year of 3-year diploma No Experience required Training/ Skilling
(after 10th) and pursuing regular diploma (NTC/ NAC) (After
 10th grade pass plus 1-year NTC/ NAC No Experience required 10th)
 8th grade pass plus 2-year NTC plus 1 No Experience required AND
Year NAC (for NTC only)
 8th pass plus 1-year NTC plus 1-Year NAC
plus CITS
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 10th grade pass and pursuing continuous No Experience required 150 hours of project
schooling work
 10th Grade Pass 2 year relevant experience
AND
Level 3.0 with minimum education as 5th (For NTC/NAC only)
Grade pass 240 hours of Language
course
Level 3.5
Level 4 Level 4.5  12th Grade Pass No Experience required 450-510 Notional 1 year of Vocational 180
 Pursuing 1st year of UG Hours of Training education & Training/
Skilling after 12th
 Completed 2nd year of the 3-year diploma No Experience required
OR (NTC/ NAC/ CITS)
after 10
 Pursuing 3rd year of 3-year diploma after
10th For UG Students - OR
450 Hours of
 Pursuing 1st year of 2- year diploma after
Internship + project 2 to 3 years of
12th
work with Vocational education
10th Grade pass plus 3 years of vocational No Experience required Assessment after 10th (NTC/ NAC/
education & Training eg.
CITS)
 10th grade pass with 2 year NTC plus 1
year NAC
AND
 10th Grade pass with 1 year NTC plus (for NTC only)
NAC
150 hours of project
 10th grade pass with 1 year NTC plus work
CITS
 8th Grade pass with 2 year NTC plus 1 No Experience required AND
year NAC plus 1 year CITS (For NTC/NAC only)
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 2 year relevant experience 240 hours of Language
Level 3.5 and with minimum education course
as 8th Grade pass
Level 4 and with minimum education as
8th Grade pass
Level 4.5 Level 5  Completed 1st year of UG (UG Certificate) No Experience required 480 to 570 Notional 1 to 2 years of 200
 Pursuing 2nd year of UG Hours of Training Vocational education &
 Completed 1st year of diploma (after Training/ Skilling after
12th) OR 12th (NTC +NAC/ CITS)
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 Pursuing 2nd year of 2-year diploma after For UG Students - OR
12th 510 Hours of
Internship + project 3 to 4 years of
work with Vocational education &
Assessment Training/ Skilling after
10th (NTC/ NAC /
 12th pass with 1 year Vocational No Experience required CITS)
Education & training (NTC or NAC or
CITS)
 Completed 3 year diploma after 10th 1 year relevant experience

Level 4 and with minimum education as
8th Grade pass
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 1.5 year relevant experience
Level 4.5
Level 5 Level 5.5  Completed 2nd year of UG (UG Diploma) No Experience required 540 to 600 Notional 2 to 3 years of 220
 Pursuing 3rd year of UG Hours of Training Vocational education &
 Completed 2nd year diploma after 12th Training/ Skilling/
OR Experiential learning
12th Grade Pass plus 2 years of vocational 1 year relevant experience
including relevant
Education and Training. EG.
For UG Students - experience and
 12th grade pass with 2 year NTC/ professional levels
550 Hours of
CITS/NAC acquired after 12th
Internship + project
 12th grade pass with 1 year NTC plus work with (NTC/ NAC/ CITS)
1year NAC/CITS Assessment
 12th Grade pass with 1 year NTC/ NAC 2 year relevant experience OR
 Completed 3-year diploma (after 10th)
 12th Grade pass 3 year relevant experience 4 to 5 years of
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 1.5 year relevant experience Vocational education &
Level 5 Training/ Skilling/
Experiential learning
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 3 years relevant experience including relevant
Level 4.5 experience and
professional levels
acquired after10th
(NTC/ NAC/ CITS)
Page 51 of 85
Level 5.5 Level 6  Pursuing first year of 2-year PG program No Experience Required 570 to 660 Notional 240
after completing 3 year UG degree Hours of Training
 Pursuing PG diploma after 3 year UG
degree OR
 Completed 3 year UG degree program
after 12th For UG/ PG Diploma
 Pursuing 4th year UG (in case of 4-year Students - 600 Hours
UG with honours/ honours with research) of Internship +
project work with
12th Grade Pass with 2 years of Vocational 2 year relevant experience
Assessment
Education & Training. Eg.
 12th Grade with 1 year NTC plus 1 year
NAC/CITS
 12th grade with 1 year NAC plus CITS
 12th grade pass 4 years relevant experience
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 1.5 years relevant experience
Level 5.5
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 3 years relevant experience
Level 5
Level 6 Level 6.5  Completed 4 year UG program (UG No Experience Required 630 to 690 Notional 260
honours/ research/ Eng) Hours of Training
 Pursuing PhD (after 4 year UG honours OR
with research) For PG Students -
 Pursuing 2nd year of PG (after 3 year UG 660 Hours of
Dregree) Internship + project
work with
 Pursuing 1st year of PG (after 4 year UG
Assessment
Degree with Honours/ honors with
Research)
 Pursuing 1st year of PG- Eng
 2-year Diploma after 12th Grade (in any 3 years of relevant experience
field)
Page 52 of 85
12 Grade Pass with 2 years of Vocational 3 years relevant experience
education and Training thereafter. Eg.
 12th Grade with 1 year NTC plus 1 year
NAC/ CITS
 12th grade with 1 year NAC plus 1 year
CITS
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 1.5 years relevant experience

Level 6
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 3 years relevant experience
Level 5.5
Level 6.5 Level 7  Pursuing PhD No Experience Required 660 to 750 Notional 280
Hours of Training
 Pursuing 2nd year of 2 year PG- Eng No Experience Required OR
For PG Students -
 Completed 3 year UG degree 3 year of relevant experience 720 Hours of
 Completed 4 year UG degree with 2 year of relevant experience Internship + project
Honours/ Honours with research work with
Assessment
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 1.5 years of relevant experience

Level 6.5
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 3 years of relevant experience
Level 6
Level 7 Level 8  PhD in the relevant field No Experience Required 750 onwards 320
 PhD in any field 1 year of relevant experience Notional Hours of
Training
 PG in any field 4 year of relevant experience
 UG in relevant field 5 year of relevant experience OR
 UG in any field 6 year of relevant experience
810 Hours of
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 4 years of relevant experience Internship & project
Level 6.5
 Previous relevant Qualification of NSQF 2 years of relevant experience
Level 7
Page 53 of 85
NOTES:
*  Relevant Experience may include On the Job training (OJT), Internship and Apprenticeship training.
 OJT undertaken as part of qualification and redeemed into credits shall not be considered again as part of relevant work experience.
 For establishment of Relevant Experience & OJT till NCrF/ NSQF level 2.5 the concerned AB/ Regulatory Body may, in the absence of a formal experience
certificate, prescribe process (like pre admission test etc.) to assess the relevant experience based on the learning outcomes. In such cases, formal
experience & OJT certificate may not be insisted upon.
 However, for all NCrF/NSQF levels beyond 2.5 proper certificates establishing relevant experience & OJT shall be required.
 The additional hours of learning through project work and NIOS lead to additional credit.
 Credits in case of STT programs shall be dependent on number of hours calculated on the principal of 40 credits against 1200 learning hours.
 Provision of Recognition of Prior learning with or without up-skilling and subject to outcome based assessment and certification shall also be used for
assignment of credit levels to the trained workforce with Experiential learning including relevant experience and professional levels acquired
**  Competent Authority shall be the body as approved & notified by the Department of School Education and Learning, Ministry of Education (MoE) for
assessment & issuance of certificates of academic/ levels equivalence as mentioned
***  Credits required for academic equivalence may be accumulated through skill training or relevant work experience or language courses subject to
successful completion of the same.
 It may be ensured that one should not use Monkey stairs using entry Qs + Exp to gets higher and higher levels of certificates without commensurate
outcome based skills, which are properly assessed. ABs concerned should clearly put some practical checks and balances/ riders /Limits.
 For RPL no formal entry qualifications would be insisted upon subject to the condition that the RPL assessment shall be conducted as per the detailed
guidelines of NCVET
Page 54 of 85
3.3.3. Credits Assigned by the Virtue of Relevant Experience/ Proficiency

Acquired
One of the dimensions of assigning credit within the NCrF is through relevant experience/
proficiency. This relevant experience can be attained either through OJT/Apprenticeship
or work experience post academic learning of vocational learning. Accordingly, the
student/learner who has just finished a vocational course/ skill program or an academic
grade and has less than one year of professional experience effectively gets a weightage
of 1, which implies that no additional credit points wrt work experience have been earned
by the student. Only the candidate/ trained person who takes up active employment for
a defined number of years can earn additional credits as per the weightage assigned. The
maximum weightage provided for under this dimension is two (2) i.e. a candidate/
trained person can at best earn credits equal to the credits acquired for the base
qualification/ skill, provided he has more than certain number of years of work
experience. This also means that a candidate/ trained person at the max can double his
or her credits/ credits points earned by way of relevant Experiential learning including
relevant experience and professional levels acquired and attaining proficiency levels. The
redemption of credits so earned however, shall be based on the principle of assessment
bands, which implies that the overall credit earned will be accumulated within the
existing assessment band and will allow a learner to establish eligibility for the next
assessment band or earn a certificate, diploma or degree at the same NCrF level.
The total Credit Points earned by the student could be obtained by multiplying the credits
earned with the NCrF Level at which the credits have been earned. a candidate with work
experience for a defined period, employed after completing certain education/ skilling
shall have its overall credit points calculated as credit points earned multiplied with the
weightage of relevant experience. The credit points may be redeemed as per Academic
Bank of Credit (ABC) guidelines for entry or admission in school, higher, technical or
Vocational Education programs/ courses at multiple levels enabling horizontal and
vertical mobility with various lateral entry options
Example- a learner who has undertaken training of 1200 hours (40 credits) of level 3
program attains 120 credit points (40*3). Presuming that this candidate works in a
related field for 3 years, then the overall credit points earned shall be- 120 X 1.33=159.6
or rounded of to 160 credit points. Similarly, in case of student/ learner with more than
7 years’ experience, the maximum credit points earned will be 120 X 2= 240.
The principle of calculating credits acquired by a candidate by virtue of relevant

Experiential learning including relevant experience and professional levels acquired and
attaining proficiency levels (post completion of an academic grade/ skill based program)
gained by the learner/student in the industry is given in the Table 7 below
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Table 7: Credit acquired by virtue of relevant experience / proficiency

Experience Description of the relevant Weightage/ No. of years
cum Experiential learning including multiplication of
Proficiency relevant experience and Factor experience
Levels professional levels acquired and (Only
attaining proficiency levels indicative)
Trained/ Someone who has completed the 1 Less than or
Qualification coursework/ education/ training and equal to 1
attained has been taught the skills and
knowledge needed for a particular job
or activity
Proficient Proficient would mean having the 1.33 More than 1
level of advancement in a particular less than or
profession, skillset, or knowledge equal to 4
Expert Expert means having high level of 1.67 More than 4
knowledge and experience in a trade less than or
or profession equal to 7
Master Master is someone having exceptional 2 More than 7
skill or knowledge of a
subject/domain
3.4. CREDIT ACCUMULATION AND TRANSFER (OPERATIONALIZATION OF

CREDIT FRAMEWORK)
a. Credit Accumulation
The total credit points earned by a student/learner is a multiplication of total credits

earned at a level of study/ skilling and NCrF level assigned to that level of skilling/
academic class. The Framework also envisions to take into account the cases wherein the
student opts out of the education ecosystem and gains employment.
Such a student, if desirous of returning to mainstream education shall benefit as the

experience gained by the student during his active employment shall also be assigned
credits which can be redeemed to establish eligibility for further mobility in accordance
with the assessment band. The weightage assigned to relevant experience shall be
multiplied with the credit points to calculate the final credits available to a student.
Accordingly, at any point of time, the overall credit points accumulated by a student
shall be calculated as ‘total credit points earned’ multiplied by the ‘weightage
assigned to the relevant experience acquired by the student’.
Page 56 of 85
b. Credit Transfer
The transfer of Credits may be defined as the process of mutual acceptance of credits
between two entities. This would mean that the competencies acquired by a learner/
student after completion of qualification/s are acknowledged in numerical values. The
transfer of credits is possible only when credits are recognized by concerned awarding
bodies and there is a mutual agreement on credits between the body allocating credits
and the body accepting those credits.
While having the requisite number of credits shall make a learner fulfill the eligibility
criteria for entry to a program, it would be the decision of the accepting institution to
prescribe the modalities and process for admission which may include merit based
listing, an entrance test/ examination or simply first come-first serve basis.
In addition, it would be the responsibility of the regulator/ Autonomous institutions to
define the need of an exit or entry module while defining the admission criterion.
The transfer of credits shall fulfil the following objectives:
i. Establishing equivalence between General education and Vocational Education

and Training/ Skilling, without further certification of equivalence
ii. Defining Entry criteria for various qualifications
iii. Defining and establishing Multiple entry and exit possibilities
iv. Other benefits like establishing minimum requirements for a job/ employment or
projects, if applicable
3.4.1. Establishing Equivalence Between General Education and Vocational

Education and Training/ Skilling
One of the objectives of the National Credit Framework is to establish equivalence

between various streams of education by ensuring equivalence between different types
of existing programs/ qualifications and this equivalence sets the base for establishing
eligibility of students and/ or establishing multiple entry and exit pathways. The
following are the basic principles to be followed while establishing equivalence:
i. The learner must have accumulated credit required for a particular level either
through regular informal and formal education, vocational education and training/
skilling or through relevant work experience or a combination of all.
ii. Equivalence is possible only within the same assessment band.
iii. The learner would need to clear/pass the previous assessment band in order to
move to the next assessment band
iv. The accumulated credits are wrt to each assessment band.
v. For establishing equivalence (including academic) for a level, the requirement of

any additional learning will be defined by the concerned regulator.
Page 57 of 85
Such an equivalence shall be applicable to all kinds of program including those being
implemented within school education, Higher education (both general and technical) and
vocational education (ITI-DGT based programs). This would mean that even a ITI pass
out will be able to get academic equivalence to 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades, subject to
additionally fulfilling the requirements for such equivalence/ equivalence criteria. The
equivalence table (below) in addition to the existing equivalence post completion of 2
year ITI after 8th and 2 year ITI after 10th with 10th and 12th grade respectively also
establishes requirements/ process for academic equivalence for ITI pass student for
grade 9 and grade 11.
The matrix of equivalence between school education & vocational education and
training/ skilling and higher education and vocational education and training/ skilling is
detailed in the Table No. 8
Page 58 of 85
Table 8: The National Credit Framework Levels (NCrF), Academic Levels (National School Education, Higher Education Qualifications Framework),
and Vocational Education and Skills Levels (National Skill Qualifications Framework) and conditions for academic equivalence
No of Stages/ School Higher Higher Education Vocational Vocational education and training/ Additional Common Credit
Years Band/ Education Education Programs (Tech education and skilling Programs (Short Term) requirement for National Points
of Education grade Passed / Programs Edu/ AICTE) training/ skilling with Entry criteria Academic Equivalence Credit earned
Edu Program Credits Earned (General Edu) / Credits Earned Programs (Long / Credits Earned of VET & Skilling Framework
per year/ NCrF / Credits Term) Levels
Credits Levels Earned with Entry criteria
Col-1 Col-2 Col-3 Col-4 Col-5 Col-6 Col-7 Col-8 Col-9 Col-10
School
Education
3 years of Balvatika/ NA NA NA NA 0.1 8
Pre- 81/ 0.1 x 3
Primary
800
Hrs/Year
1 Primary Grade I/ NA NA NA  No formal education and In addition to (Col-7) 0.2 5
School  150-210 hrs of Vocational education Foundational literacy
Grade I & II 27/ 0.2 and Training/ Skilling and numeracy at NSQF
2 800 Hrs/ Grade II/ NA NA NA OR level 1/ 2 for grade 3 0.4 11
Year  600 hours of apprenticeship or Grade 5 certificate by
27/ 0.4 competent authority
3 and Grade III/ NA NA NA 0.6 20
Grade III, IV
&V 33/ 0.6
4 1000 Hrs/ Grade IV/ NA NA NA 0.8 26
Year
33/ 0.8
5 Grade V/ NA NA NA 1.0 33
33/ 1.0
6 Middle Grade VI/ NA NA NA  No formal education In addition to (Col-7) 1.33 53
School OR Advance Literacy &
40/ 1.33  Ability to read and write with one-year Numeracy Skills at
7 1200 Hrs/ Grade VII/ NA NA NA experience wherever job requires NSQF level 2 or 3 1.67 67
Year AND through competent
40/ 1.67
Page 59 of 85
8 Grade VIII/ NA NA NA  210-270 hrs of Vocational education & authority for grade 5th 2.0 80
Training/ Skilling or grade 8th certificate
40/ 2.0
OR
 NSQF Level 1 and 210-270 hrs of
Vocational education and Training/
Skilling
OR
 750 hours of apprenticeship
9 High School Grade IX NA Completed 8th Grade pass + 1  Total 8-9 years of learning including In addition to 2.5 100
1200 1 year of ITI after year of Vocational academic education, vocational (Col-6)
Hrs/Yr 8 class
th education & education, training and skilling and/or Language skill at level 3
Training/ Skilling Experiential learning including relevant through competent
(NTC/ NAC) experience and professional levels authority for 9th
acquired, subject to assessment Certificate
AND (for NTC  OR
 1 year relevant experience at NSQF In addition to
only)
Level 2 or 6 months’ relevant (Col-7)
experience at Level 1 Grade 8 th certificate +
150 hours of Accumulated 40 credits
project work AND at level 2/3
 240-300 hrs of Vocational education & plus
Training/ Skilling Language Skills at level
3 by competent
authority for Grade 9th
Certificate
10 High School Grade X NA Completed 2 Years 8th Grade pass + 2  Total 9-10 years of learning including In addition to 3.0 120
1200 of ITI after 8th years of Vocational academic education, vocational (Col-6)
Hrs/Yr Class education & education, training and skilling and/or Language skill of level 3
Training/ Skilling Experiential learning including relevant through competent
(NTC/ NAC) experience and professional levels authority for 10th
acquired, subject to assessment Certificate
OR
AND (for NTC
 1 year relevant experience at NSQF In addition to
only)
Level 2 or 6 months’ relevant (Col-7)
experience at Level 2.5 Grade 8 th and/or Grade
+ 150 hours of AND 9th certificate +
project work  270-390 hrs of Vocational education & Accumulated 40 credits
Training/ Skilling at level 3
plus

Page 60 of 85
Language Skill at level 3
through competent
authority for Grade 10th
Certificate
11 Sr. Sec. Grade XI NA Completed 10th Grade pass + 1  Total 10-11 years of learning including In addition to 3.5 140
School 1st Yr of Diploma year of Vocational academic education, vocational (Col 6)
1200 after 10th education & education, training and skilling and/or Language skill of level
Hrs/Yr (Certificate of Voc. Training/ Skilling Experiential learning including relevant 3.5/4 through
(Eng)) (NTC/ NAC) (After experience and professional levels competent authority
10th) acquired, subject to assessment for grade 11th
AND (for NTC OR Certificate
only)  1 year relevant experience at NSQF
Level 3 or 2 year relevant experience at In addition to
+ 150 hours of
level 2.5 (Col 7)
project work
AND Grade 10th certificate
 360 to 420 hrs of Vocational education +
& Training/ Skilling Accumulated 40 credits
at level 3.5
OR plus
Language Skill of level
 10th Grade pass and pursuing 3.0/3.5 through
continuous schooling in regular school competent authority for
with one vocational subject Grade 11th Certificate
12 Sr. Sec. Grade XII NA Completed 10th Grade pass + 1  Total 11-12 years of learning including In addition to 4.0 160
School 2nd Yr of Diploma to 2 years of academic education, vocational (Col 6)
1200 after 10th Vocational education, training and skilling and/or Language skill at level
Hrs/Yr (Industrial education & Experiential learning including 3.5/4 competent
Training Certificate Training/ Skilling relevant experience and professional authority for 12th
(Eng.)) (NTC/ NAC) (After levels acquired, subject to assessment Certificate
10th) OR
AND (for NTC  2-year relevant experience at NSQF In addition to
only) Level 3 or 1 Year experience at NSQF (Col 7)
level 3.5 Grade 11th certificate
+ 150 hours of
AND +
project work
 390 to 480 hrs of Vocational education Accumulated 40 credits
& Training/ Skilling at level 4
plus
Language Skill at level
3.5/4 through
competent authority
Page 61 of 85
for Grade 12th
Certificate
Higher
Education
13 3-Year NA Completed 1st Completed 1 Year Total 1 year of  Total 12 to 13 years of learning For Armed Forces 4.5 180
Under Year of 3-year of technical Vocational including academic education, 20 Credits from NHEQF
Graduate UG / education after education & Vocational education, Training and courses at level 4.5 and
Program (UG 12th plus Training/ Skilling Skilling and/ or Experiential learning Above
Certificate) internship as per after 12th (NTC/ including relevant experience and &
AICTE Policy NAC/ CITS) professional levels acquired, subject to 20 credits from NSQF
1200 40 credits
assessment aligned & approved
Hrs/Yr
40 credits OR OR skill courses at level 4.5
OR  2 year relevant experience at NSQF or above
OR Total 2 to 3 years of Level 3.5 or 1year relevant experience
UG 1st Year for Vocational at NSQF Level 4 For LTT & STT with
Armed Forces education after AND UG certificate
Completed 3 year
Prog by 10th (NTC/ NAC/  450-510 hrs of Vocational education & 20 credit from NCrF
diploma after 10th
IGNOU/ 20 CITS) Training/ Skilling level 4.5 or above
Credits (+20 STT/LTT courses
credits from 40 credits
AND (for NTC &
skilling) (Eng-Certificate) 20 credits from UGC/
only)
+150 hours of AICTE approved NHEQF
project work courses at level 4.5 and
above
14 3-Year NA Completed 2 Completed 2 Year Total 1 to 2 years  Total 13 to 14 years of learning For Armed Forces 5.0 200
Under years of UG of technical of Vocational including academic education, 16 Credits from NHEQF
Graduate education education after education & vocational education, training and courses at level 5.0 and
Program 12th plus Training/ Skilling skilling and/or Experiential learning Above
(UG Diploma) internship as per after 12 (NTC
th including relevant experience and and
AICTE Policy +NAC/ CITS) professional levels acquired, subject to 24 credits from NSQF
1200
40 credits assessment aligned & approved
Hrs/Yr
40 credits OR skill courses at level 5.0
OR
(Eng-Diploma)  3-year experience at NSQF Level 4 (min or above
OR Total 3 to 4 years 8th class pass) or 1.5 year experience at
of Vocational NSQF level 4.5 For LTT/ STT Courses
UG 2nd Year education & AND with UG Diploma
for Armed Training/ Skilling
Page 62 of 85
Forces Prog by after10th(NTC/  480-570 hrs of Vocational education & In addition to 20 credit
IGNOU/ 16 NAC / CITS) Training/ Skilling from NCrF level 4.5 or
Credits (+24 above STT/LTT courses
credits of skill) and
20 credits from UGC/
AICTE approved NHEQF
courses at level 5.0 and
above
15 3-Year NA Completed UG Completed 3 Years
Total 2 to 3 years  UG Diploma For Armed Forces 5.5 220
Under 3rd Year of technical of Vocational OR 24 Credits from NHEQF
Graduate (UG Degree) education after
education &  Total 15-16 years of learning including courses at level 4.5 and
Program 12th plus Training/ Skilling/ academic education, vocational Above
40 credits
internship as per
Experiential education, training and skilling and/or &
AICTE Policy learning including Experiential learning including relevant 16 credits from NSQF
1200 OR relevant experience and professional levels aligned & approved
Hrs/Yr
40 credits experience and acquired, subject to assessment skill courses at level 5.5
UG 3rd Year (B.Voc/ B.Sc Eng-) professional levels OR or above
for Armed acquired after 12th  3 years of experience at NSQF Level 4.5
Forces Prog by (NTC/ NAC/ CITS) or 1.5 years of experience at level 5 For LTT/ STT Courses
IGNOU/ 24 AND with UG Degree
credits (+16
OR  540-600 hrs of Vocational education & In addition to 20 credit
Credits of Training/ Skilling from NCrF level 5.5 or
skilling) above STT/LTT courses
Total 4 to 5 years &
of Vocational 20 credits from UGC/
education & AICTE approved
Training/ Skilling/ NHEQF courses at level
Experiential 5.5 and above
learning including
relevant
experience and
professional levels
acquired after10th
(NTC/ NAC/ CITS)
16 4-Year NA Completed 4- Completed 4 Year NA  Total 16-17 years of learning including For STT Courses with 6.0 240
Under year UG with of technical academic education, vocational UG Degree- Honours/
Graduate Honours / education after education, training and skilling and/ or research or PG
Program Honours with 12th plus Experiential learning including relevant Diploma
(With Research internship as per experience and professional levels In addition to 20 credit
Honours) AICTE Policy acquired, subject to assessment from NCrF level 6 or
OR above STT/LTT courses
Page 63 of 85
1200 Hrs/ 40 credits 40 credits  3 years relevant experience at NSQF &
Yr Level 5 or 1.5 years relevant experience 20 credits from UGC/
(Eng- Degree) at level 5.5 AICTE approved
OR AND NHEQF courses at level
 570-660 hrs of Vocational education & 6 and above
Completed 1st
Training/ Skilling
year of 2-year
PG after 3-year
UG
40 credits
OR
Completed 1-
year PG (PG-
Diploma) after
3-year UG/
40 credits
17 Masters/ NA Completed 2nd Completed NA  Total 17-18 years of learning including For STT Courses with 6.5 260
Post year of 2-year 1st year of 2-years academic education, vocational PG Degree
Graduate PG after 3-year ME/ M. Tech Prog education, training and skilling and/or
UG/ plus internship as Experiential learning including relevant In addition to 20 credit
40 credits per AICTE Policy experience and professional levels from NCrF level 6.5 or
1200
acquired, subject to assessment above
Hrs/Yr 40 Credits
OR &
OR  3 years relevant experience at NSQF 20 credits from UGC/
OR Level 5.5 or 1.5 year of relevant AICTE approved
experience at level 6 NHEQF courses at level
Completed 1- Completed AND 6.5 and above
year PG after 4- 2nd year of M. Voc  630- 690 hrs of Vocational education
year UG with after 3 year B.Voc and training/ skilling & Training/
Honours / plus internship as Skilling
Honours with per AICTE Policy
Research OR
40 credits
40 credits  Pursuing 2nd year PG (after 3 year of

UG Degree)
OR
 Ph.D after Degree (honors)
AND
Page 64 of 85
 570-660 hrs of Vocational education &
Training/ Skilling
18 Masters/ NA NA Completed NA  Total 18-19 years of learning including For STT Courses with 7.0 280
Post 2 year of 2-years
nd academic education, vocational PG engineering
Graduate M.E/ M.Tech Prog education, training and skilling and/or In addition to 20 credit
1200 plus internship as Experiential learning including relevant from NCrF level 7 or
hours/ Year per AICTE Policy experience and professional levels above
acquired, subject to assessment &
40 Credits
OR 20 credits from UGC/
(Masters- Eng)  3 years of relevant experience at NSQF AICTE approved
Level 6 or 1.5 years of relevant NHEQF courses at level
experience at level 6.5 7 and above
AND
 660-750 hrs of Vocational education &
Training/Skilling
19 PhD after NA NA 1st Yr of Ph.D and NA  More than 19 years of learning 8.0 320
years PG, 2 to 4 onwards including academic education,
+ yrs vocational education, training and
Skilling and/or Experiential learning
including relevant experience and
professional levels acquired, subject to
assessment
OR
 4 years of relevant experience at level
6.5 or 2 years of relevant experience at
NSQF Level 7
AND
 750 (or more) hrs of Vocational
education & Training/ Skilling
Page 65 of 85
Notes:
1. The National Credit Framework (NCrF) shall act as a broad enabling framework for all regulatory organizations, and autonomous
institutions who may, wherever required, notifying their detailed implementation guidelines within this Framework
2. The NCrF is only an enabling framework which empowers institutions and enables them with the required flexibility for catering to their
specific academic requirements for creating imaginative and flexible curricular structures, creative combinations of disciplines and other
special needs.
3. STT is Short Term Training, LTT is Long Term Training.
4. In case of Long Term Training (LTT) i.e. column 6:
a. The NTC stands for National Trade Certificate and is a one or two- year duration certificate program. This certificate program is
offered by Directorate General of Training (DGT) and is offered after Grade 8th /Grade 10th and after Grade 12th. NTC is offered to
students who pass the All India Trade Test (AITT) for Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS)
b. The NAC is National Apprenticeship Certificate and the period of training varies from one year & two months to 2 years. The minimum
age for undertaking NAC program is 14 years and the qualifications vary from Grade VIII pass to XII Grade pass (10+2) system. NAC
is offered to students who pass the All India Trade Test (AITT).
c. The craftsman Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) is a program offered by DGT for the instructor trainees. The DGT mandates
that all trainers in the it is must be CITS certified. The duration of CITS program is 1 year and the eligibility for CITS is having
NTC/ NAC/Diploma/Degree qualifications.
5. Open schooling and NIOS:
a. Open schooling is an alternative and complementary to formal education offering an opportunity for complete range of
schooling. The term open schooling describes that the learning is open in terms of timing, location, teaching roles, instructional
methods and modes of access. Open schooling aims at removing obstacles exist in formal learning viz., age, geographic,
financial, infrastructure or time related and so on. In this process, the student takes the responsibility for what they study, how
they learn, the pace at which they learn, using the learning support they have and when the examinations they take etc. Thus,
the learner has flexibility to learn and progress.
b. In India, the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) is the largest Open Schooling system in the world providing alternative
schooling. It offers open basic education courses, vocational, life enrichment courses etc. It offers a range of courses equivalent
to Gradees III to the pre-degree level. The target group includes neo-literates, dropouts and general public. The NIOS curriculum
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is largely placed in the categories of equivalency or alternative schooling, life skills education & training, as well as training in
income generation courses.
c. NIOS is also offering various courses in collaboration with various institutions like ITDC, IMA, NHM, MoT, MoHFW, Sector Skill
Council (SSCs). NIOS is also implementing various Govt projects for literacy (NLMA), digital literacy (PMGDISHA), ASHA
assessment and Certification, Training Assessment & Certification in Community Health for untrained Health workers in
collaboration with State Govt.
d. NIOS offers elementary level courses under its Open Basic Education (OBE) programme for Level-A, Level-B and Level-C
equivalent to Grade 3, 5 and 8 of the formal system, Secondary (Grade10) and Senior Secondary (Grade12).
e. So far, NIOS does not conduct 9th Grade examination. For admission to Grade Xth in NIOS, the entry requirement is Certificate
of Grade VIIIth pass or self-certificate. The Self Certificate states that the learner has studied at home and find herself/himself
eligible for study in Secondary (Grade 10th).
f. Similarly, there is no Grade XIth examination in NIOS. For entry to Grade XIIth, the eligibility criteria is certificate of the
Secondary examination from a recognized board. However, a gap of two years for certification at Senior Secondary level is
required after passing of the secondary level.
g. However, the National Credit Framework (NCrF) enables NIOS to conduct special assessments for Grade IX and XI or conduct
an on demand examination as and when demanded by the students/ learners.
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3.4.2. Establishing Entry Eligibility Through Credit Framework
I. The credit points earned and accumulated can be used to determine the eligibility for
taking admission in various programs at multiple levels, subject to fulfilment of the
following broad principles laid down under NCrF and the acceptance of these credit
points by the concerned agencies. While the detailed transfer mechanism indicating
entry eligibility at various levels for various streams shall be defined by individual
regulators, following conditions are required to be fulfilled:
a. It must be ensured that the student has acquired and accumulated the credit
points needed for moving to a particular level after undergoing either skill based
training or academic classes or through relevant experience. These credit points
must have been accumulated from the adjacent (lower) assessment band. For eg.
A 10th pass student (who had cleared assessment band B’) is eligible for appearing
for 12th class examination (assessment band ‘C’) provided the student has
accumulated requisite credit points, either through an additional academic
program or through vocational education & training/ skilling or through relevant
experience as defined in the equivalence table or specified by the regulator/
autonomous institutions.
b. The student has undertaken and cleared the examination resulting in passing of
the adjacent lower assessment band. Eg. For taking admission in a UG equivalent
program (assessment band ‘D’), the students must have accumulated enough
credits in the previous assessment band ‘C’ (11th and 12th) and cleared the
requisite exam leading to 12th class certification.
c. The educational institute providing the credits and the institute accepting the
credits are in mutual agreement while transferring the credits, without the need
for further equivalence certificate for each student. Since a similar program being
offered by two different institutions may have variation, it is expected that the
institutions permitting transfer of credits will have mutual understanding. The
accepting institutes, if they so desire, may also supplement their program with a
bridge course.
d. Once the eligibility criteria for various programs is established, the accepting
institution may devise appropriate policy changes.
e. The NCrF enables and empowers establishing academic equivalence and defining
the entry criteria for various academic and vocational programs. However, the
process of admission into the admitting institution including conducting a merit
based selections through entrance test/ examination or screening etc for an
institute is subject to the guidelines specified by regulator or if the institution is
autonomous, the internal mechanisms established by the institution, subject also
to availability of seats etc
f. As regards the assessment of the students with exceptional achievements/
performance in games and sports, performing/ fine arts, Social Work, NCC, or
other similar subjects/ category is concerned, the same can be defined/
prescribed based on their level of competition (State level/ National level,
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International level/ Commonwealth/ Olympics/ World Championships etc), the
level of representation (District/ State/ National/ International), medal/
distinction achieved in team/ individual events, and such exceptional
performance can be treated equivalent to an assessment. The modalities however,
may be defined/ prescribed by the concerned regulator.
3.4.3. Establishing Multiple Entry and Multiple Exit (ME-ME) Pathways
The credit transfer mechanism will also enable a student/ learner to enter and exit the
educational ecosystem, both general and vocational, at any point of time. In such cases
due weightage is given to work experience gained or any other training undertaken by
the learner. The proposed equivalence by virtue of this National Credit Framework
highlights how a student can accumulate necessary credits that will allow a student to re-
enter the mainstream education.
While NCrF is an enabling framework, the detailed guidelines of ME-ME shall be as
defined/ prescribed by the concerned regulator. The standardization of content/
curriculum although seems to be an ideal approach, however, given the diversity of the
country, the same may not be feasible. The regulators or the autonomous body concerned
may however prescribe the criteria for ME-ME which may include an entry or exit module
as per the NCrF level of the program.
Some examples of ME-ME are:
i. A 5th grade student with total accumulated credit points of 200 over the years and
undertaking certain bridge course is eligible to appear for 8th class examination. Once
the student clears it, he will be grade 8th pass and can continue with 9th grade onwards
through mainstream education.
ii. In case of the undergraduate degree of either three- or four-year duration, the multiple
entry and exit options, shall be as mentioned below:
 Certificate after completing one year in a discipline or field including vocational and
professional areas;
 A diploma after two years of study; or
 A bachelor’s degree after a three-year programme
 A bachelor’s degree with research/ honours/ Engineering in case of a 4-year
bachelor program
iii. For the Master’s programmes:

 A two-year programme with the second year devoted entirely to research for those
who have completed the three-year Bachelor’s programme;
 A one-year Master’s programme for students who are completing a four-year
Bachelor’s programme with honours or Honours with Research; and
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 An integrated five-year Bachelor’s/Master’s programme with an option to exit at the
end of the third year with a Bachelor’s degree, with entry to a 2-year Master’s
programme in another HEI.
iv. Other Examples of ME-ME
 Learner after completing first year of M.Tech program, shall be eligible for an
M.Voc degree, upon exit. Having M.Voc degree, however, is not mandatory for
entry into an M.Tech program.
The responsibility of detailing out the multiple entry- multiple exit options for the general
education and the vocational education and training/ skilling shall be the responsibility
of concerned regulators. The regulator/ autonomous institutions like IITs and IIMs may
also take a view on the level of standardization of subjects and content being
implemented in various institutions (both school and higher) for the enablement of
seamless student mobility, however, the NCrF does not prescribe any such condition for
mobility of students.
The ME-ME options separately for higher education (both by UGC and AICTE) is at
Annexure I.
3.5. CREDIT STORAGE AND REDEMPTION THROUGH ACADEMIC BANK OF CREDIT
3.5.1. Mechanism for Credit Storage
The framework envisages a well-developed Academic Bank of Credits (ABC),

encompassing the requirements of academic, vocational and Experiential learning
including relevant experience and professional levels acquired. As per NEP 2020,
Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), which shall be a national-level facility, will promote the
flexibility of the curriculum framework and interdisciplinary/ multidisciplinary
academic mobility of students across the HEIs in the country with appropriate ‘credit
transfer’ mechanism.
ABC shall enable the integration of multiple disciplines of higher learning leading to the
desired learning outcomes including increased creativity, innovation, higher order
thinking skills and critical analysis. ABC shall provide significant autonomy to the
students by providing an extensive choice of courses for a programme of study, flexibility
in curriculum, novel and engaging course options across a number of higher education
disciplines/ institutions.
‘Academic Bank of Credits’ (ABC) system intends to enable students across the nation in
“fulfilling their thirst for knowledge by providing academic flexibility to pick and modify
their educational paths, link diverse disciplines; and assist them in acquiring the proper
foundations and building blocks for their ambitions”. The ‘Academic Bank of Credits’
(ABC) shall be an educational digital platform created to facilitate student’s seamless
mobility between or within degree-granting Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and
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vocational education and training/ skilling through a formal system of credit recognition,
credit accumulation, credit transfer, and credit redemption in order to promote
distributed and flexible teaching and learning.
3.5.2. Accumulation and Storage
The Academic Bank of Credit shall be a repository of all credits earned by a student. These
credits shall be accumulated and redeemable provided the credits accumulated are
within the same assessment band. The credits accumulated shall have a validity/ expiry
which will be defined wrt each program.
This will be the responsibility of independent regulators based on the type, relevance and
future utility of a program amongst others. The validity of the credits should be in-sync
with all the other regulatory policy and initiatives of the Government. Once redeemed the
student shall not be able to use the same credits again for similar purpose.
3.5.3. Verification
The verification of credits accumulated and stored in ABC will be done by respective
regulators.
3.5.4. Redemption of Accumulated Credits
The ABC will promote equity, quality, flexibility, mobility, collaboration, transparency,
and integration to improve the competitiveness and efficiency of India’s education
system. ABC shall provide services, including credit accumulation, credit transfer, credit
redemption through the opening, closure and validation of accounts and shall enable
multiple entry-multiple exit (ME-ME) options in a programme.
Students who pursue education as freelancers or through open / home / online schooling
can also accumulate credits. These credits can be deposited to student’s ABC account.
After the accumulation of credits, a student can redeem these in order to get any academic
degree based on the norms set by the regulatory body/ institution. It works on the
principle of ME-ME as well as “anytime learning, anywhere learning, and any level
learning’ as is emphasized in NEP 2020. It can facilitate the integration of campuses by
creating student mobility within the university system. ABC can also help integrate skills
into a credit-based system by providing a credit recognition mechanism. However, the
Certificates/ Diploma/ degrees will have to be given by university, regulator or respective
Awarding Body (AB) and not by the credit bank.
For credit redemption, the process to be followed will be as per the Academic Bank
Guidelines notified by UGC. However, the Committee agreed that in line with the
recommendations of this Committee, necessary changes, if so needed, shall be carried out
in the Academic Bank notification by UGC to ensure that process followed remains
uniform across.
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3.5.5. Credit Expiry and Renewal
‘Credits earned by students shall be deposited in the respective Bank Account with ABC
and shall be valid for a period as defined by the respective regulator or till it is redeemed.
Also, once any credit is redeemed for the award of the aforementioned academic
qualification, such credit shall be irrevocably debited from the respective student’s
Academic Bank Account’.
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4. Section 4: SPECIAL PROVISIONS IN NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK
4.1. Provisions for Creditisation of Special Cases of learning: Educational

Accelerations
The framework would be considered as successful only if it is responsive to the special

needs of various groups off students and learners. The respective regulators would make
provision for such exceptional cases. Some of the use cases to be covered are given below:
I. Provision for educational acceleration
a. Education acceleration is one of the established mechanism for gifted children.
The practice of educational acceleration has been used to match high level
student’s general abilities and specific talents with optimal learning
opportunities
b. Acceleration occurs when students move through traditional curriculum that
rates faster than the normal pace. Among the many forms of acceleration are
grade skipping or class skipping, early entrance to school or college and subject
based acceleration, for example when a 5th standard student takes an 8th
standard mathematics or social science or a language course
c. For educational acceleration the following activities have been undertaken/
planned under the national education policy:
i. NCERT & SCERTs when framing the national or state curricular and
pedagogical framework for early childhood care and education will
factor the aspects of educational acceleration.
ii. PARAKH as well as CBSE, NIOS and other School Boards of assessment
in the country will device special assessment methods to facilitate
such fast track learning trajectories for gifted children.
iii. UGC, AICTE and NCVET may also develop their own mechanisms,
including special assessment methods, for enabling assessments of such
fast track learning trajectories for such gifted students, independent of
the learning hours spent by them.
iv. In such cases instead of the learning hours it is the learning outcome
subject to very strict assessment objective above board and adhere
to high-standard to clearly establish that the intended learning
outcomes have been fully achieved which would decide the
assignment of credits and the credit levels.
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4.2. Provision for Recognition for Prior Learning
There exists a large section of student/ learners/ persons/ workers who have acquired
knowledge, skills and work competencies through either informal or mix of formal and
informal experiential learning including relevant experience and professional levels
acquired or other learning through family/ traditional inheritance etc. However, they
have no formal certifications for the same. As a result, they are unable to be integrated
with the formal education and skill ecosystem for further progression through up-skilling
or re-skilling. Moreover, they do not get appropriately paid and have limited
opportunities for revenue generation for their knowledge and skills in the absence of any
formal recognition of their skills and certification.
To enable such student/ learners/ persons/ workers, NCrF provides for ‘Recognition of
Prior Learning’ (RPL) which refers to the process for recognising learning that has been
developed from experiential learning including relevant experience and professional
levels acquired and/or previous formal non-formal and informal learning contexts
subject to assessment of their existing knowledge, skills, competencies. Learning
outcomes are appropriately assessed and leading to certification of the same through a
well-defined, credible, objective and established process/ mechanism. RPL, therefore
will enable such students/learners/persons/workers to formalise their learning and
provide opportunities for personal and career development through career progression
and skill upgradation by his integration into formal education and skilling ecosystem.
As envisaged under NEP, NCrF provides for earning and accumulation of credits through
education, skill development and experiential learning including relevant experience and
professional levels acquired on outcome-based assessment approach (rather than
learning hours alone). However, for earning and accumulation of credits, assessment of
student/ learners/ persons/ workers, corresponding to a particular NCrF level is a
mandatory requirement. The level descriptors define the level of knowledge, skills,
competencies and learning outcomes for each Credit level under NCrF. Moreover, the
National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) and National Skill
Qualification Framework (NSQF) level descriptors are already in place.
Therefore, NCrF shall provide a gateway to the student/ learners/ persons/ workers to
creditise their informal or mix of formal and informal experiential learning including
relevant experience and professional levels acquired, or learning through other methods
into credits at designated NCrF levels through a well-established outcome-based
assessment process called Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). This shall also ensure the
goal of lifelong learning, open further progression pathways to higher education for such
persons and enhance the employability and/or entrepreneurial opportunities as
envisaged under NEP. This shall also ensure the goal of lifelong learning, open further
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progression pathways to higher education for such persons and enhance the
employability and/or entrepreneurial opportunities as envisaged under NEP
Under the framework of NCrF, the school education, higher education and vocational
education would have their own through a well-defined, credible, objective and
established process/ mechanism for RPL evolving out of NEP principles of outcome-
based assessment.
The similar concept of RPL may also be extended to the general education domain to
create options for student/ learners/ persons/ workers to get assessed for a subject/
qualification at same or at a higher level, subject to meeting the competency levels as per
level descriptors and concerned regulatory compliances. This shall effectively provide
him/ her with options of Exam/ Assessment-On-Demand. NIOS is an example which
offers option of Exam-On-Demand to learners who have completed certain no of years of
self-study/ learning for assessment for a particular educational grade. Similar models can
be developed and adopted by other state school boards and CBSE etc. to provide RPL
option in school education as well.
The students should also have option to get themselves assessed for learning /subject/
skills acquired outside the formal education system. This shall, in the true sense, promote
multidisciplinary learning and innovation and open pathways from vocational education
training & skills to general education, and vice versa to achieve the objective of holistic
approach in education. The concept of On-Demand-Assessment (RPL on-demand) along
with the general RPL would form the basic pillars of creditisation of learning through
informal methods.
The NEP discusses the rich heritage of ancient and Indian eternal knowledge and
promotes the nurturing of heritage skills and furthermore emphasizes on researching,
enhancing and putting new uses through our education system. Recognition of Prior
Learning (RPL) for various traditional (indigenous) skills/occupation is an integral
approach to acknowledge and recognise the potential of artisans and craft persons paving
the way for upskilling and mainstreaming them in formal sectors. NCrF shall empower
them to improve and upgrade their competencies.
However, the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) would require trained master
assessors and assessors along with a well-defined, credible, objective, reliable, rational
and established assessment processes. Such assessment shall also have to be carried out
through credible assessment agencies and must be evidence based. In a few traditional
and heritage skill areas, it may be carried out using very unconventional methods like
relying on the Guru Shishya Parampara. Globally recognised OEMs and reputed industry
bodies, who are the big consumer of the output of the skilling ecosystem, can also play a
vital role as designated assessment agencies/ centers for such RPL.
The detailed guidelines for implementation of RPL will be developed by the respective
regulators. The main features of RPL under NCrF can be summed up as follows:
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i. Learning Outcome based assessment approach recognizing learning through
informal methods;
ii. Providing access and opportunity for further education
iii. It allows demonstration of skills and knowledge therefore eliminating
duplication of learning
iv. It also allows transition from training centres to higher education institutions
in both directions and increase educational choices and career opportunities
v. High quality assessment consisting of a well-defined, credible, objective,
reliable and rational and established assessment processes;
vi. Assessment against pre-defined learning outcomes at pre-defined NCrF levels,
as per Level Descriptors of respective regulator
vii. Assessment of Cross sectoral, inter-stream & multidisciplinary learning;
viii. Provisions for ‘On-Demand-Assessment’ & ‘On-Demand-Examination’;
ix. Special and innovative methods of assessment through OEMs, reputed
industries, Guru Shishya Parampara;
x. Dedicated Assessment centers of with state of art infrastructure & robust
assessment mechanism.
xi. Will include detailed Assessment Guidelines by the concerned regulators/
autonomous bodies for further enablement of abovementioned provisions as
per requirements.
4.3. Provision for special events like Hackathon, Olympiads
Provision and detailed guidelines would also be developed for handling

hackathons, and subject Olympiads etc. for exceptional children/ students/
learners.
a. Hackathons, and subject Olympiads, both would need special assessment
methods and credit assignments on the basis of achievement of outcome based
learning outcomes subject to such special assessment.
b. In such cases, instead of the learning hours, it is the learning outcome
which would decide the assignment of credits and the credit levels.
However, the assessment has to be very strict, objective, above board and
adhere to high-standard so as to keep the credibility of the NCrF intact.
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5. BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK: REALISING

THE VISION OF NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY 2020
The National Credit Framework (NCrF) will have the following benefits:
i. NCrF will enables fulfilling the objective of NEP of no rigid separation between
academic streams, extracurricular, and vocational streams in schools. NCrF will
also give due weightage to Experiential learning including relevant experience and
professional levels acquired which is now included as a part of the overall learning
hours.
ii. NCrF enables vocational and skilling exposure at early stages in middle and
secondary school, and integration of quality vocational education and training/
skilling smoothly into higher education. It will ensure that every student learns at
least one vocation, earns credits for it and is exposed to several more. This would
lead to emphasizing the dignity of labour and importance of various vocations
including /Indian arts and artisanship.
iii. NCrF will enable the required flexibility, so that learners have the ability to choose
their learning trajectories and programmes, thereby defining their own career
path according to their talents and interests;
iv. NCrF will enable multidisciplinary and a holistic education across the sciences,
social sciences, arts, humanities, and sports for a multidisciplinary world in order
to ensure the unity and integrity of all knowledge. NCrF will encourage entire
education system to be creative, critical and multi-disciplinary. The framework
provides a possibility of having a which is a mix or arts, science, humanities, life
skills including employability skills etc.
v. NCrF will also enable inter-transfer of students between different
curriculums/boards/institutions/universities and education systems within
India and also with overseas educational institutions.
vi. NCrF will bring synergy in curriculum across all levels of education from school
education to higher education including redesigning the curriculum and pedagogy
to not only capture the emerging technology but also include heritage &
traditional knowledge to ensure education is relatable, relevant, interesting, and
effective for students
vii. NCrF would enable availability of higher level vocational courses to students
enrolled in all programmes, including the 3/4-year multidisciplinary Bachelor’s
programmes, NIOS and State Open Schools and adult literacy and life-enrichment
programmes including availability of life skills such as communication,
cooperation, teamwork, and resilience;
viii. NCrF would enable different models of vocational education and training/ skilling,
and apprenticeships, by school education and higher education institutions.
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ix. This Framework will provide the basis for Recognition of Prior Learning. Through
this, dropouts from the formal system will be reintegrated by aligning their
practical experience with the relevant level of the Framework, by means of an
assessment as per the assessment band criteria applicable, and will also facilitate
mobility across ‘general’ and ‘vocational’ education.
x. NCrF takes into account the multiple reasons leading to School/ Higher Education
drop-outs and enables suitable entry paths for them both in general education and
vocational education and training/ skilling. NCrF, therefore, promotes
universalization of education from pre-school to secondary level and higher
education by ensuring more students join/ return to mainstream.
xi. NCrF will encompass all existing framework of various regulators namely
proposed NHEQF (by UGC/AICTE) and existing NSQF.
xii. NCrF will help in filling the gaps between current state of learning outcomes and
what is desirable to enhance the employability of a student, while also ensuring
that the time invested by a student in learning either via education or through
work does not go unaccounted.
xiii. NCrF further strengthens the principle laid out in NEP that education must
develop not only cognitive skills including both ‘foundational skills’ of literacy &
numeracy and ‘higher-order’ cognitive skills such as critical thinking & problem
solving – but also social and emotional skills – which will be recognized as part of
core learning of a student under this framework.
xiv. NCrF will enable students to store and redeem the accumulated credits in a
‘Academic Bank of Credit’.
xv. The NCrF will promote the concept of life-long learning as it is providing multiple
entry-multiple exit options across the education ecosystem.
xvi. NCrF will also help in addressing the long standing issues associated with
vocational education and training/ skilling of not being aspirational. The NCrF
permits mainstreaming of vocational programs with equal weightage and credits
being given to vocational subject as to any other academic subject across school
and higher education.
xvii. NCrF also focuses on establishing equivalence between general education courses
and vocational education programs thereby leading to seamless integration
between general and vocational education and training/ skilling.
xviii. NCrF will enable an increase in the GER as has been envisaged by the Government.
xix. NCrF is adaptable by different streams like law, medical etc as required.
xx. NCrF addresses the difficulties students are facing in respect of equivalence of
certificates issues by various School Education Boards in India for the purpose of
admissions in higher education institutions and employment in Central/State
Government.
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Table 10: Benefits of the National Credit Framework
S No NCrF BENEFICIARIES
STUDENTS INSTITUTIONS GOVERNMENT INDUSTRY
1. Creditisation of all Promotes unification Increased enrolment Short term future skills
learning hours, of HEIs to promote of students (GER) can be obtained as up-
including academic, multidisciplinary skilling
vocational and education
Experiential learning
including relevant
experience and
professional levels
acquired,
2. Multidisciplinary and More diversified and Helps in fulfilling the Re-Skilling and up-skilling
holistic education with rich student’s national vision of of existing employees/
flexible curricula knowledge base complementing the engineers
demographic dividend
3. Flexibility in duration of Promotes stronger To achieve Hon PM’s Allows students to attain
study/ courses through collaboration between Vision of making India NSQF approved
provisions of Multiple institutions the Skill capital of the foundational skills
entry and exit / work World. developed by industry &
option be more employable
4. Provision for lifelong Simpler and uniform Making vocational Provision of Micro-
learning – any time any credit mechanism education and credentials allows
where learning training/ skilling integration of quick
aspirational educational upgradation/
up-skilling
5. Removal of hard Increased focus on Highly educated and Helps cater to the future
distinction between research and trained workforce for demand of skills and
education stream innovation Aatmnirbhar Bharat. bridging skill gap
thereby making study
choices respectful and
allowing for more than
one award in same
period.
6. Removes distinction Promotes digital Could be extended to Makes students more
between arts, science, learning, blended all kind of streams employable by more
social sciences, and learning and open including agriculture, holistic design of study by
commerce etc distance learning medical and law including vocational
Student get credits for education and training/
every academic/ skill/ skilling
experience
7. Enhances the scope of Leveraging of Have skill enhanced,
core learning to include institutional multi/ cross-sectoral
foundational and infrastructure skilled pool of employable
cognitive both. youth
8.
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Bibliography/ Sources/ References
A number of documents/ articles/ reports/ publications were referred to while making of this
report to understand the international as well as national system of credits.
i. National Education Policy 2020, NCERT, Ministry of Education, NEP_2020.pdf

(ncert.nic.in)
ii. SAMVAY by AICE, 2018, SAMVAY_1_.pdf (aicte-india.org) and
iii. Guidelines for providing Skill Based Education under National Skill Qualification
Framework by University Grant Commission (UGC), 6556003_Guidelines-for-providing-
Skill-Based-Education-under-NSQF.pdf (ugc.ac.in)
iv. National Skill Qualifications Framework notified by Ministry of Finance in 2013,
https://www.ncvet.gov.in/nsqf-notification
v. Academic Bank of Credit notified by UGC, 2021, www. abc.gov.in
vi. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED470030
vii. Raubinger, Rowe, Piper, and West (1969)
viii. https://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/hainline2013/files/2013/04/History-of-the-
credit-hour.pdf
ix. https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/652361468739273645/pdf/multi-
page.pdf
x. https://www.shorttermprograms.com/page/academic-credit-systems
xi. https://www.mastersportal.com/articles/1110/what-you-need-to-know-about-
academic-credit-systems-in-the-us.html
xii. https://www.idp.com/india/blog/grading-system-in-canada/
xiii. https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/international/study-abroad-programmes/study-
abroad/course-units/credit-equivalence/
xiv. https://theconnection.ece.org/AcademicCreditSyste/862/n
xv. https://www.expatrio.com/studying-germany/studying-germany/course-
studygermany#:~:text=As%20one%20ECTS%20credit%20generally,to%20a%20unive
rsity%20in%20Germany.
xvi. https://www.mastersportal.com/articles/1115/academic-credits-in-australian-
universities-things-to-know-before-
applying.html#:~:text=Credits%20reflect%20the%20number%20of,you%20would%2
0study%204%20subjects
xvii. https://www.ask.uwa.edu.au/app/answers/detail/a_id/196/~/credit-points-explained
xviii. https://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/academic-information-policies/graduate/modular-
system
xix. https://students.uu.nl/en/university-college-utrecht/national-university-of-singapore-
university-scholars-program
xx. https://asiaexchange.org/information/credit-conversion/korea/
Page 80 of 85
Annexure I: MULTIPLE ENTRY MULTIPLE EXIT options by UGC & AICTE
i. MULTIPLE ENTRY MULTIPLE EXIT – UGC
ACADEMIC LEVEL ENTRY EXIT QUALIFICATION AND NATIONAL

QUALIFICATION* CREDITS required for the level CREDIT LEVEL
(NCrF)
Higher Education
UNDER-GRADUATE 1st 12th pass certificate or Under-Graduate Certificate will be 4.5
year (B. General/ B. equivalent state of awarded and
Voc) education
Minimum 40 credit-hours followed
by an exit 4-credit skills-
enhancement course
UNDER-GRADUATE Under-Graduate Under-Graduate Diploma will be 5

2nd year (B. General/ Certificate awarded and
B. Voc) Minimum of 80 credit-hours followed
by an exit 4-credit skills-
enhancement course
UNDER-GRADUATE 3rd Under-Graduate Bachelor Degree will be awarded and 5.5

year (B. general/ Diploma
B.Voc) Minimum of 120 credit-hours
UNDER-GRADUATE 4th Bachelor’s Degree (3 Bachelor’s degree (Honours/ 6

year (B. general/ year) Honours with Research) and
B.Voc)
Minimum of 160 credits, with
minimum of 40 credits each at level
4.5, 5, 5.5 and 6 of the NHEQF
POST GRADUATE Bachelor’s degree (3 Post Graduate Diploma after 6.0
DIPLOMA years) completion of 1st year of 2-year PG
Or 1st year of 2- year program and
PG program
minimum of 40 credits for individuals
who have completed a Bachelor’s
programme
MASTERS (M. General Bachelor degree (after Master’s degree and 6.5
/ M.Voc) 3 years of UG)
2 year of master Minimum of 80 credits from the first
program and second years of the programme,
with minimum of 40 credits in the
first year and minimum of 40 credits
in the second year of the programme
at level 6.5 on the NHEQF
MASTER’S Bachelor degree Master’s degree and 6.5
(M.General/ M.Voc) (honors/ honours with
One year program research) or Post Minimum of 40 credits for individuals
after 4 year UG Graduate Diploma who have completed a Bachelor’s
degree (Honours/ Honours with
Research)
Page 81 of 85
Master’s programme Bachelor degree Master’s degree and 7
(Eng M.E., M. Tech (honors/ honours with
research) minimum of 80 credits from the first
and second years of the programme,
with minimum of 40 credits in the
first year and minimum of 40 credits
in the second year of the programme
at level 6 on the NHEQF
P.hD PG Diploma OR Doctorate degree will include course 8
Master’s Degree OR a work and a thesis with published
Bachelor degree work and/or creative work
(honours with
research)
* Admission will be open to those who have met the entrance requirements, including specified levels of
attainment, in the programme admission regulations along with evaluation of documentary evidence (including
the academic record and/or evidence relating to the assessment and validation of prior learning outcomes) of
the applicant’s ability to pursue an undergraduate programme of study.
Page 82 of 85
ii. MULTIPLE ENTRY- MULTIPLE EXIT IN HIGHER EDUCATION- AICTE
Academic Entry Qualifications at Exiting National Learning Outcomes

Level different levels. Qualifications Credit
at different Level
levels (NCrF)
9th Grade th  9th Class/ 2.5  Limited service skill used in
8 Class
 1 year of ITI limited context, select and apply
after 8th class tools assisting professional
works with no variables,
differentiates good and bad
quality
 Transmit written and oral
messages, basic arithmetic,
personal financing,
understanding of social, political
and environmental applications.
10th Grade th  10th Class 3.0
 9 Class/
th  2 Year of ITI
 1 year of ITI after 8 after 8th Class
class
11th th  Class 11 3.5  Recall and demonstrate Practical
10 Class/ 2 Year of ITI
Grade. th  Certificate of skill, routine And repetitive in
/1st yr. after 8 Class+ NIOS VoC. (Eng) narrow Range of application
Diploma  Class 11+ +  Communication written and oral,
QPs/ NOCs with minimum required clarity,
enabling lateral skill of basic arithmetic and
entry in 2nd algebraic principles, personal
Year of banking, basic understanding of
Certificate of
social, political and
Voc.
environmental applications
12th  10+  Class 12 4.0  Recall and demonstrate practical
Grade. Certificate  Industrial skill, routine and repetitive in
/2nd yr. of Voc Training narrow range of application,
Diploma  Class 11 Certificate (Eng) using appropriate rule and tool,
 Class 11+  Class 12+ QPs using quality concepts
QPs and NOCs  Language to communicate
&NOCs enabling entry written or oral, with required
in UG Certificate clarity, skill to basic arithmetic
and algebraic principles, basic
understanding of social political
and natural environment
Final yr.  Class 12 UG Certificate 4.5
Diploma/  12+ Industrial (Eng.)
1styr UG Training Certificate
Degree (Eng)
 Class 12+ QPs & NOCs
2ndyr UG UG Certificate(Eng.) UG 5.0  A range of cognitive and practical
Degree Diploma(Eng.) skills required to accomplish
tasks and solve problems by
selecting and applying basic
methods, tools materials and
information
 Desired mathematical skill,
understanding of social, political
and some skill of collecting and
Page 83 of 85
organizing information,
communication.
3rdyr UG UG Diploma(Eng.) B.VoC (Eng.) 5.5  wide ranging, factual and

Degree theoretical knowledge in broad
contexts within a field of work or
study
 Wide range of cognitive and
practical skills required
to generate solutions to
specific problems in a field of
work or study
 Good logical and mathematical
skill understanding of social
political and natural
environment good in collecting
and organising information,
communication and
presentation skill
Final yr B.Voc (Eng.) B.E./B. Tech. 6.0  wide ranging, factual and
UG theoretical knowledge in broad
Degree contexts within a field of work or
study
 Wide range of cognitive and
practical skills required
to generate solutions to
specific problems in a field of
work or study
 Good logical and mathematical
skill understanding of social
political and natural
environment good in collecting
and organising information,
communication and
presentation skill
1st Year B.E./B. Tech. M.Voc (Eng.) 6.5  Advanced Knowledge and skill
PG (Eng) Critical understanding of the
subject, demonstrating mastery
and innovation, completion of
substantial research and
dissertation.
 Responsible for decision making
in complex technical activities,
involving unpredictable
study/work situations.
2nd year M.Voc. (Eng.) M. Tech 7  At the end of this course,
PG (Eng) students will be able to
 Understand research problem
formulation.
 Analyze research related
information
 Follow research ethics
 Understand that today’s world is
controlled by Computer,
Information Technology, but
Page 84 of 85
tomorrow world will be ruled by
ideas, concept, and creativity.
 Understanding that when IPR
would take such important place
in growth of individuals & nation,
it is needless to emphasis the
need of information about
Intellectual Property Right to be
promoted among students in
general & engineering in
particular.
 Understand that IPR protection
provides an incentive to
inventors for further research
work and investment in R & D,
which leads to creation of new
and better products, and in turn
brings about, economic growth
and social benefits.
Ph.D M. Tech Ph.D
Note:
At each entry, Institution/ University has to identify the educational gaps/ skill gaps and suitable
bridge courses may be offered.
 To make the students employable after every exit, the skill component with progressive
enhancement in skills in respective disciplines may be introduced in the curriculum right from
the 1st year of the program by the concerned regulatory body/ University/ Technical Board, as
the case may be.
 The levels of exit, assessed through and learning outcomes are the basis of equivalency, not the
duration of the courses. For example: Dual Degree etc.
Page 85 of 85

National Credit Framework

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National Credit Framework

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NATIONAL

AICTE - All India Institute of Technical Education

1. Dr. Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi, Chairperson, NCVET Chairman

The National Credit Framework (NCrF) shall be an inclusive umbrella Framework to

The National Credit Framework (NCrF) also enables creditisation of Experiential

National Credit Framework (NCrF) will encourage Internationalization of education

National Credit Framework

1.2. CREDITS IN INDIAN CONTEXT

1.2.1. School Education

I. CHOICE BASED CREDIT SYSTEM (CBCS) BY UGC

The detailed Guidelines for Choice Based Credit System is available at

II. SKILL ASSESSMENT MATRIX FOR VOCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT OF YOUTH

Table1: Break-Up of Credits

The latest SAMVAY guidelines are available at : SAMVAY_1_.pdf (aicte-india.org)

III. UGC GUIDELINES FOR PROVIDING SKILL-BASED EDUCATION UNDER

The detailed guidelines can be accessed at 6556003_Guidelines-for-providing-Skill-Based-

IV. CREDITS STRUCTURE FOR AUTONOMOUS INSTITUTIONS LIKE IIT/IIMS

1.2.3. Vocational education and Training/ Skilling

I. NATIONAL SKILLS QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORK (NSQF)

The detailed NSQF notification can be accessed at https://www.ncvet.gov.in/nsqf-

2. SECTION 2: GENESIS OF A NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK

2.1. NEED FOR A NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK

The detailed National Education Policy is available at

2.3. BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES of NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK

2.3.1. Removal of Hard Separation Between General and Vocational education

2.3.2. Establishing Equivalence Between General and Vocational education and

 Remove rigid boundaries and facilitate new possibilities for learners.

2.3.5. Integration and Mixing of Education, Skilling and Work Experience

2.3.6. Enabling Educational Acceleration

3.1. FORMULATION OF HIGH LEVEL COMMITTEE AND PREVIOUS WORK DONE

The National Credit Framework (NCrF) is a comprehensive framework encompassing

3.2.1. National Credit Framework (NCrF) to be an Umbrella Framework

The National Credit Framework (NCrF) shall be an inclusive umbrella framework to

3.2.2. Defining Credit and Calculating Credit Points

3.2.3. Total Learning Hours in a Year for Calculation of Credit

1. School Education: Foundational 800

2. School Education: Preparatory 1000

3. School Education: Middle Stage: 1200 1000 Hours of

4. School Education: Secondary 1200 1080 Hours of

13. AICTE: 3-Years Bachelor’s 1200 This does not include

14. AICTE: 4-Years Bachelor’s 1200 This does not include

17. UGC: 1-Year Undergraduate 1200 This does not include

18. UGC: 2-Years Undergraduate 1200 This does not include

21. UGC: 1-Year Post-Graduate 1200 This does not include

23. UGC: Doctoral program - Ph.D. (3 1200 -

3.2.5. Credits Against Total Notional Hours

Wherever necessary, if the curriculum so demands, the concerned regulator/ autonomous

3.2.7. Assessment Band

In addition, to enable implementation of multiple entry- multiple exit options, assessment is

Accordingly, the assessment bands so formulated are as indicated in the Table 3.

The National Credit Framework encompasses the following main components/

 Credits earned by virtue of completed academic education

a. Academic Education – School Education, Higher Education, Professional Education

At present, the school education system follows a system of progression of academic

b. Vocational Education and Training/ Skilling

c. Relevant Experience/ Proficiency

A diagrammatic view of the dimensions of the credit assignment is in figure I below:

3.3. ASSIGNMENT OF CREDITS IN NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK

3.3.1. Credits Assigned by Virtue of Academic Education

Table 4: NCrF levels and credit assignment for school education