The University Grant Commission (UGC) released a new revised syllabus of “Jeevan Kaushal” as “Life Skills” yesterday on its official website. HEIs will prepare assignments that will lead to credits for students. The “Life Skills” aims to explore citizenship duties, constitutional respect, patriotism, equality values, and justice love under the democratization of bachelor students.
In 2019, under the chairmanship of Prof. D P Singh, UGC developed a module for graduate students in order to inject democratic values. Then it was called “Jeevan Kaushal” and consisted of Communication Skills, Leadership skills, Interpersonal and Universal Human Values. Now, the new revised syllabus popularized as “Life Skills” will replace the 2019 “Jeevan Kaushal.”
The UGC chairman Prof Jagadesh Mamidala says “Students are aimed to adopt behaviors that empower both themselves and others which are essential for interacting in a pluralistic democratic society.”
The new revised syllabus includes categories like self-awareness, leadership and goal-setting skills, stress management under emotional intelligence, time and personal finance management, and democratic values. All five categories have been divided into further 33 aspects, for example, digital ethics and cyber security, cognitive and non-cognitive skills, managing personal finance, constitutional values, justice, and human rights, etc.
According to the UGC chairman “UGC has requested HEIs to prepare tasks for students on research assignments. The HEIs are also suggested to conduct the written examination, assignments, peer evaluation, and self-evaluation among various assessments.” These activities will also award credits in students’ marks.
