Choice-Based Credit System: Know Types of CBCS!

Priyanka Waghmare | Updated: Oct 28, 2021 13:16 IST

Choice-Based Credit System is commonly known as CBCS caters effective teaching-learning platform wherein the students or learners has the flexibility to choose their course from a list of elective, and soft skill courses. The CBCS (Choice Based Credit System) provides an array of options for the learners to select courses from the prescribed courses comprising a core and various skill-based courses. The courses stated are often evaluated following the grading system, which is often considered to be better than the old traditional marks system.

Choice Based Credit System (CBCS):

  • The Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) is a concept proposed by the University Grants Commission of India (UGC) which will be applicable for various exams like UGC NET, etc.
  • It gives students an effective learning platform by moving from the conventional marks and percentage-grading system to the standard credit-based assessment method.
  • The Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) provides a choice for students to select from the prescribed three main courses (core, elective, and ability enhancement courses).
  • The CBCS system allows and encourages students in higher education to pick a course of their own choice.
  • The introduction of the systems opens the door to smart and integrated classroom learning opportunities whilst preserving the aims and objectives of education.
  • It adopts a 10 point grading system.
  • It has introduced a research component in Under-Graduate courses.

Learn more about Level of Teaching, here.

Advantages:

  • The shift in focus from the teacher-centric to student-centric education.
  • Students may undertake as many credits as they can cope with (without repeating all courses in a given semester if they fail in one/more courses).
  • CBCS allows students to choose inter-disciplinary, intra-disciplinary courses, skill-oriented papers.
  • CBCS makes education broad-based and at par with global standards. One can take credits by combining unique combinations.
  • CBCS offers flexibility for students to study at different times and at different institutions to complete one course (ease mobility of students).
  • Credits earned at one institution can be transferred.
  • Makes education at par with global standards.

Check UGC NET Syllabus Here

Disadvantages:

  • Lacks accurate estimation of marks.
  • Increases workload for professors and lecturers
  • Since no two students have the same timetable, this creates confusion among the students.

Learn more about Positivism & Post Positivistic Approach of Research, here.

Types of courses in CBCS:

Courses in a program may be of three kinds: Core, Elective, and Foundation. The CBCS provides choices for students to select from the prescribed courses (core, elective or minor, or soft skill courses).

  • Core Course:
    • There may be a Core Course every semester.
    • This is the course that is to be compulsorily studied by a student as a core requirement to complete the requirement of a program in a said discipline of study.
  • Elective Course:
    • An elective course is a course that can be chosen from a pool of papers.
    • It may be supportive of the discipline of study.
    • Providing an expanded scope.
    • Enabling exposure to some other discipline/domain.
    • Nurturing student's proficiency/skill.
    • An elective may be a "Generic Elective" focusing on those courses which add generic proficiency to the students.
    • An elective may be "Discipline centric" or may be chosen from an unrelated discipline. It may be called an "Open Elective."
  • Foundation Course:
    • The Foundation Courses may be of two kinds: Compulsory Foundation and Elective foundation.
    • "Compulsory Foundation" courses are the courses based upon the content that leads to knowledge enhancement.
    • They are mandatory for all disciplines.

"Elective Foundation" courses are value-based and are aimed at man-making education.

Know more about Action of Research, here.

Previous year Questions from Choice-Based Credit System

Question: Which among the following is best advantage of Choice Based Credit System?

Option 1: Shift in focus from teacher-centric to student-centric education
Option 2: Improving classroom attendance
Option 3: Helping teacher to complete syllabus on time
Option 4: Reducing examination anxiety among students

Ans: Option 1

Question: XYZ, who is pursuing MSc., has chosen to study 'Modern Indian Literature' from language department under the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS). Which course does Modern Indian Literature represent?

Option 1: Elective
Option 2: Core
Option 3: Foundation
Option 4: Online

Ans: Option 1

UGC NET/SET Level of Teaching Practice Questions

UGC NET/SET: Choice-based Credit System

Que. 1

As per the Choice Based Credit System, which of the following courses is not the part of a CBCS?

Solution

Answer:

Choice Based Credit System:

  • The University Grants Commission (UGC) has initiated several measures to bring equity, efficiency, and excellence to the Higher Education System of the country.
  • The important measures taken to enhance academic standards and quality in higher education include innovation and improvements in curriculum, teaching-learning process, examination and evaluation systems, besides governance and other matters.

Types of courses in CBCS:

Courses in a program may be of three kinds: Core, Elective, and Foundation. The CBCS provides choice for students to select from the prescribed courses (core, elective or minor, or soft skill courses).

  • Core Course:
    • There may be a Core Course every semester.
    • This is the course that is to be compulsorily studied by a student as a core requirement to complete the requirement of a program in a said discipline of study.
  • Elective Course:
    • An elective course is a course that can be chosen from a pool of papers.
    • It may be supportive to the discipline of study.
    • Providing an expanded scope.
    • Enabling exposure to some other discipline/domain.
    • Nurturing student's proficiency/skill.
    • An elective may be a "Generic Elective" focusing on those courses which add generic proficiency to the students.
    • An elective may be "Discipline centric" or may be chosen from an unrelated discipline. It may be called an "Open Elective."
  • Foundation Course:
    • The Foundation Courses may be of two kinds: Compulsory Foundation and Elective foundation.
    • "Compulsory Foundation" courses are the courses based upon the content that leads to knowledge enhancement.
    • They are mandatory for all disciplines.
    • "Elective Foundation" courses are value-based and are aimed at man-making education.

  • Selective  means choosing from a number of alternatives. it is specifically a picky option.

​Thus, a s per the Choice Based Credit System selective course  is not the part of a CBCS .

Que. 2

Given below are two statements :

Statement I:A course chosen from an unrelated discipline/subject, with an intention to seek exposure is called an generic elective course.

Statement II: A core course offered in a discipline/subject may be treated as an elective by other discipline/subject but not vice versa.

In the light of the above statements choose the correct answer from the options given below:

1.

Both Statement I and Statement II are true

2.

Both Statement I and Statement II are false

3.

Statement I is true but Statement II is false

4.

Statement I is false but Statement II is true

Solution

Answer:

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has initiated several measures tobring equity, efficiency, and excellence to theHigher EducationSystem of the country. The important measures taken toenhance academic standards and quality in higher education includeinnovation and improvements in curriculum, teaching-learning process, examination and evaluation systems, besides governance and other matters.

Types of courses in CBCS:

Courses in a program may be of three kinds:Core, Elective, and Foundation. The CBCS provides choice for students to select from the prescribed courses (core, elective or minor, or soft skill courses).

  • Core Course:
    • A course, which should compulsorily be studied by a candidate as a core requirement is termed as a Core course.
  • Elective Course:
    • It is a course which can be chosen from a pool of courses and which may be very specific to the discipline/ subject of study.
    • It provides an extended scope which enables an exposure to some other discipline/subject/domain.
    • It also nurtures the candidate's proficiency/skill.
    • It can be of the following types:
      • Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) Course:
        • Elective courses may be offered by the main discipline/subject of study is referred to as Discipline Specific Elective.
        • The University/Institute may also offer discipline related Elective courses of interdisciplinary nature (to be offered by main discipline/subject of study).
      • Dissertation/Project:
        • An elective course designed to acquire special/advanced knowledge, such as supplement study/support study to a project work, and a candidate studies such a course on his own with an advisory support by a teacher/faculty member is called dissertation/project.
      • Generic Elective (GE) Course:
        • An elective course chosen generally from an unrelated discipline/subject, with an intention to seek exposure is called a Generic Elective.
  • A core course offered in a discipline/subject may be treated as an elective by other discipline/subject and vice versa and such electives may also be referred to as Generic Elective.

Thus, Statement I:A course chosen from an unrelated discipline/subject, with an intention to seek exposure called an generic elective course isTrue.

Statement II: A core course offered in a discipline/subject may be treated as an elective by other discipline/subject but not vice versa isFalse.

Therefore, the correct option is 3.

Que. 3

Which of the following statements about Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) is true?

(A) Consists of three main courses.

(B) Uses a 5 point grading system.

(C) Makes education at par with global standards.

(D) Difficult to estimate the exact marks.

(E) Introduces research component in Under-Graduate courses.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below :

1.

(A), (B), (C), (D) only

2.

(B), (C), (D), (E ) only

3.

(A), (B), (C), (E) only

4.

(C), (D), (E), (A) only

Solution

Answer:

Choice Based Credit System (CBCS):

  • The Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) is a concept proposed by the University Grants Commission of India (UGC).
  • It gives students an effective learning platform by moving from the conventional marks and percentage-grading system to the standard credit-based assessment method.
  • TheChoice Based Credit System (CBCS) provides a choice for students to select from the prescribed three main courses (core, elective and ability enhancement courses).
  • The CBCS system allows and encourages students in higher education to pick a course of their own choice.
  • The introduction of the systems opens the door to smart and integrated classroom learning opportunities whilst preserving the aims and objectives of education.
  • It adopts a 10 point grading system.
  • It has introduced a research component in Under-Graduate courses.

​

Advantages:

  • The shift in focus from the teacher-centric to student-centric education.
  • Student may undertake as many credits as they can cope with (without repeating all courses in a given semester if they fail in one/more courses).
  • CBCS allows students to choose inter-disciplinary, intra-disciplinary courses, skill oriented papers.
  • CBCS makes education broad-based and at par with global standards. One can take credits by combining unique combinations.
  • CBCS offers flexibility for students to study at different times and at different institutions to complete one course (ease mobility of students).
  • Credits earned at one institution can be transferred.
  • Makes education at par with global standards.

Disadvantages:

  • Lacks accurate estimation of marks.
  • Increases workload for professors and lecturers
  • Since no two students have the same timetable, this creates confusion among the students.

Thus, except for "Uses a 5 point grading system" all other statements about CBS is true.

​

Core Course:

  • A course, which has to be compulsorily studied by a candidate

Elective Course:

  • A course which a student can choose from a pool of courses.
  • This may be very specific/specialized/advanced/supportive to the discipline/ subject of study.
  • This will enable exposure to some other discipline/subject/domain.

Ability Enhancement Course: These are of two kinds:

  • Ability Enhancement Compulsory Courses (AECC):
    • it is based upon the content that leads to knowledge enhancement.
  • Skill Enhancement Courses (SEC):
    • value-based and/or skill-based.
    • It aims in providing hands-on training, competencies, skills etc.

Que. 4

Which of the following is indicative of innovations in evaluation system at present?

2.

Project based evaluation system

3.

Choice based credit system

4.

Objective based evaluation system

Solution

Answer:

Evaluation

  • Evaluation is a systematic determination of a subject's merit, worth and significance, using criteria governed by a set of standards.
  • The primary purpose of evaluation, in addition to gaining insight into prior or existing initiatives, is to enable reflection and assist in the identification of future change.
  • The evaluation provides a systematic method to study a program, practice, intervention, or initiative to understand how well it achieves its goals.
  • Evaluations help determine what works well and what could be improved in a program or initiative.

Semesterization system

  • A semester system divides the academic year into two sessions: fall and spring.
  • Through the semester system, students are continuously assessed and it is better for concentration and learning.
  • Each session is approximately 15 weeks long with a winter break in between the fall and spring session and a summer break after the spring session.
  • Each semester you can take four to six classes depending on how many credits each class is.
  • It facilitates a better understanding of the subject.
  • More emphasis is laid on class interaction because of constant engagement between teachers and students.

Project-based evaluation system

  • Project-based assessment is a method of educating and cultivating skills in people by making them work in real-life scenarios, solving real problems.
  • It is a highly practically-driven method that companies are aggressively using for hiring and reskilling, upskilling their employees.
  • Project-based assessments are an alternative to tests that allow students to engage with their learning in more concrete ways.
  • Instead of merely studying theory, a hands-on project asks students to apply what they've learned to an in-depth exploration of a top.

Choice-based credit system

  • The CBCS provides an opportunity for the students to choose courses from the prescribed courses comprising a core, elective/minor, or skill-based courses.
  • The courses can be evaluated following the grading system, which is considered to be better than the conventional marks system.
  • It is the ratio of total credit points secured by a student in various courses registered in a semester and the total course credits taken during that semester.
  • It shall be expressed up to two decimal places. Semester: Each semester will consist of 15-18 weeks of academic work equivalent to 90 actual teaching days.
  • The CBCS grading system follows a credit system that is attached to the course components offered to students.
  • A credit system for higher education measures various parameters like- Student performance, Learning outcomes, and Entrepreneurship skills.
  • CBCS isalso

Objective-based evaluation system

  • Objectives-based evaluation refers to a class of evaluation approaches that centers on the specification of objectives and the measurement of outcomes.
  • Ralph Tyler, often noted as the father of educational evaluation has been credited with being a principal proponent of objectives-based evaluation approaches.
  • objective evaluation criteria are that few subjects are ever totally objective.
  • The more students are encouraged to think creatively, the more subjective factors will be introduced into classwork.

Therefore, aChoice-based credit system isindicative of innovations in the evaluation system at present

Que. 5

In the credit based grading system (CGS) the term 'credit' refers to the number of hours assigned for:

Solution

Answer:

To maximize skill-based education & enhance student learning outcomes in terms of their grades as well as skills, the National Education Policy (NEP 2020)  has made some crucial changes in the traditional teaching-learning system in India.

The government has decided to introduce a unique concept of Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) coupled with CBCS to facilitate the best education journey to the career-oriented students of the 21st century.

CBCS:

  • Popularly known as CBCS, full form- 'Choice Based Credit System', provides a convenient at the same time effective teaching-learning platform wherein the student or knowledgeseeker has the flexibility to choose their course from a list ofelective, core, and soft skill courses.
  • In simple words, it is a student-centric approach to learning or acquiring higher education.
  • The conventional system of Higher Education didn't give much scope to students.
  • The course and learning content were predefined, redundant, and not up-to-date. For students to apply their knowledge base later in their work environment, business, or life; the conventional isolated courses lacked contemporary appropriateness.

The Meaning Of Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) In Brief:

  • CHOICE BASED – Choice of multiple courses
  • GRADING – Marks secured is in letter grade format
  • SEMESTER – Learner-teacher engagement quotient can be measured/ identified semester-wise
  • CREDIT – Class hours per week carries additional importance in the credit system
  • ASSESSMENT – In the form of classroom attendance, Mid Term Tests, etc; is continuous and wide-ranging.

Therefore, from the above explanation, i n the credit-based grading system (CGS), the term 'credit' refers to the number of hours assigned for a course per week.

Candidates can also practice UGC NET Practice questions to ace their preparation.

So this was all about Choice Based Credit System. Get some practice of the same on our free Testbook App. Download Now!

Testbook Logo

Continue Reading in App