Overview
- Maharashtra’s higher and technical education department issued a Government Resolution on Monday that finalizes how the NEP 2020 four-year undergraduate structure will run from the 2026–27 academic year.
- Colleges that already run postgraduate courses and have recognized PhD research capacity in the same subject will get automatic approval to offer the fourth-year Honours or Honours with Research track.
- Affiliated colleges without that capacity must apply through their university, which will judge proposals on infrastructure, qualified faculty, research facilities, NAAC grade and overall academic strength, with no automatic ‘natural growth’ approvals.
- Students qualify for the fourth year after earning 120–132 credits in three years, a typical 7.5 CGPA for the research stream, and registration in the Academic Bank of Credit to enable credit transfer and multiple entry or exit options.
- Eligible students at colleges not cleared for the fourth year may shift through lateral entry to approved campuses, subject to validation of prior learning, seat limits and reservation rules, and professional programs such as BE and BTech will follow this four-year framework with options like a major with a minor, double minors or an honours path.