4 min readApr 7, 2026 03:22 PM ISTThe guidelines specify that the fourth year of the four-year UG programme will not be granted to any college as 'natural growth'. (Source: File)The Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Department on April 6 released the long-awaited guidelines for implementation of the fourth year programme in undergraduate courses in the state. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 made provisions for four-year undergraduate degrees. The Maharashtra State Academic and Research Council (MahaSARC) committee of Vice Chancellors of top universities in the state was tasked with forming the guidelines that have now been released. The lack of guidelines had till now left students and teachers in limbo.Guidelines for non-technical coursesThe 4-year non-AICTE non-professional UG programme has been structured into eight semesters and offers two pathways: 4-Year UG Degree with Honours and 4-Year UG Degree Honours with Research.For the UG (Honours with Research) degree, students will be required to complete a research project or a dissertation for 12 credits in the fourth year in the major subject.Which colleges will be able to offer 4th year?The guidelines specify that the fourth year of the four-year UG programme will not be granted to any college as ‘natural growth’.Colleges currently offering only three-year UG courses will have to seek approval to commence a fourth-year programme.The fourth year of the UG Honours programme will be identical to the first year of a two-year PG programme offered after a three-year UG programme.However, colleges already having permission and recognition for a postgraduate course in the same major will be automatically allowed to conduct the fourth-year UG Honours Degree. Similarly, colleges with an approved PG programme and a PhD Research Centre will be allowed to offer a fourth year of UG Honours with a research degree.Story continues below this adEligibility for 4th year programmeFor admission to the fourth year of UG (Honours) degree, students must have successfully earned the required credits, typically around 120-132 credits, by the end of their third year.For admission to fourth year UG (Honours with Research Program), students must typically obtain a specific CGPA of 7.5 and complete 120-132 credits.The sanctioned class strength for the UG (Honours with Research Program) fourth year will be equal to five times the number of recognised PhD guides.Students can also seek lateral entry to fourth year at a different college or university where approval for the same is already granted subject to conditions laid down by the university.Approval to colleges for 4th yearUniversities will need to evolve mechanisms for approval of the fourth year in colleges that do not have a PG programme or a PhD research centre in the concerned major subjects.UG (Honours) – Only colleges that have the necessary infrastructure and approved faculty for the concerned subject at the 400-level (Level 6.0) will be eligible to offer the fourth year.UG (Honours with Research) – Universities must come up with guidelines for approval which can include: minimum number of approved PhD guides, evidence of active research published in Indexed Journal lists of SciFinder, Web of Science and Scopus and/or ongoing or completed funded Research Projects, Dedicated Research Laboratories, plagiarism detection software, high-speed internet, software, tie-ups with recognised institutes, etc.Engineer coursesThe guidelines define three pathways for AICTE-governed professional engineering UG programmes:B.E or B.Tech with Single Major and Single Multidisciplinary MinorSingle Major and Double Minor (MDM and Emerging Specialisation Minor)and Honours B Tech/ B E Degree Program, Single Multidisciplinary MinorSoham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... 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