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The four-year UG and one-year PG are designed as a separate academic pathway, not simply a shortened master’s programme. What does the new framework mean for students?
Delhi University introduced one-year postgraduate programmes under the NEP 2020 framework. (AI Image)
A student completing a three-year undergraduate degree and then a two-year master’s and another completing a four-year undergraduate degree followed by a one-year master’s will both spend five years in higher education. But what will students learn differently in a four year plus one year course?
Recently, Delhi University introduced one-year postgraduate programmes under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 framework. Under DU’s framework, a student completing a four-year UG programme can enter a one-year PG programme, while another student entering through the conventional three-year UG route can pursue a two-year PG programme. DU has described the one-year PG programmes as being synchronised with the second year of its two-year PG programmes.
One must understand that the new structure is not simply a two-year master’s compressed into one year. The one-year PG route is designed for students who have completed a four-year UG degree, meaning part of the advanced academic preparation that would traditionally take place during the first year of a two-year master’s is already completed in the final year of the UG course.
DU is not the only university introducing the new PG structure. Jamia Millia Islamia has also approved a revised ordinance governing PG programmes under NEP 2020. The university has introduced one-year MA programmes in 11 disciplines, including Education, English, Geography, Hindi, History, Human Resource Management, Islamic Studies, Political Science, Public Administration, Sociology and Urdu while one each in business and management.
Why Has The One-Year Master’s Been Introduced?
The National Credit Framework (NCrF) and the NEP framework provide multiple pathways through UG and PG education. The idea is that the additional year at the UG level provides greater academic depth, specialisation, research exposure or other learning experiences before the student chooses the next phase of his or her career.
Universities are therefore not expected to simply remove one year of coursework from an existing master’s programme. Instead, the four-year UG and one-year PG are intended to function as part of a different academic pathway.
Career Choice: PhD vs Jobs
Whether the two routes are treated identically, choosing the correct course can depend on what a student wants to do after graduation — enter the workforce, pursue research, apply for a PhD or sit for a government recruitment examination.
Under the UGC framework, a student can enter a PhD directly after a four-year bachelor’s degree, provided it is the appropriate four-year degree and the student meets the university’s admission requirements.
A four-year bachelor’s can provide broader and deeper UG preparation, while the master’s can allow students to specialise in a particular field. For someone targeting jobs where a master’s is preferred or required, the one-year programme can provide that qualification without adding an extra year.
More than half of DU’s first FYUP batch exited after three years, while only about one-third of those who continued to the fourth year applied for the new one-year master’s programmes. According to the university, 40,005 out of 75,948 students exited after three-years. While 12,111 or around 40% of the students applied for DU’s one-year PG programmes for 2026-27.
Quick Answers
Ask News18A one-year postgraduate program is designed for students who have completed a four-year undergraduate degree, whereas a two-year postgraduate program is meant for students entering through the conventional three-year undergraduate route. The one-year option is not simply a compressed two-year master’s, as advanced academic preparation is already integrated into the final year of the four-year undergraduate course.
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October 01, 2026, 10:16 IST
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