The Tamil Nadu government’s plan to introduce four-year undergraduate degree programmes in colleges and universities has met with resistance from students’ bodies and teachers.

While they contend that poor infrastructure in government-run institutions of higher education and the massive number of vacancies among teaching staff would hamper its implementation, many of them allege that the move smacks of duality in the government’s stand on National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

A little over half of the students passing higher secondary examination go to college while the rest seek some form of employment to make ends meet. “As if a three-year programme is not long enough for them, now a four-year programme will lead to more students opting out of higher education altogether,” J. Sebastin, State President, All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO), said. Besides, multiple exit options will create disparity between students taking the same course but dropping out at different levels, he maintained. Poor infrastructure and lack of teachers will only push students towards private colleges, which will add to their financial burden, Mr. Sebastin observed. He also wondered why the government, which clearly opposed the NEP 2020 in its official stand, now seeks to implement programmes proposed by it.

The All India Save Education Campaign (AISEC), too, issued a statement urging the government to withdraw the proposal. The statement stated that under the directive of the NEP 2020, a distinction was sought to be created between a three-year UG programme and a four-year programme with Honours. This distinction for the same programme would create two layers and lead to discrimination against those opting for the three-year course. Thus, those who get a UG degree with Honours will get higher priority in jobs and promotions, the statement read.

The present situation in the State-run universities does not favour implementation of such four-year programmes, K. Jothi Sivagnanam, former member, State Panning Commission and former Head, Department of Economics, University of Madras, categorically stated. “If they are to introduce these courses, the syllabus needs to be changed, the examination pattern should change, the academic calendar would have to be changed, not to speak of teachers and pedagogy, and infrastructure. Without a vice chancellor at the helm, how will these be achieved,” he asked.

Published - August 10, 2026 11:58 pm IST