Students in Haryana can now earn academic credits for activities they do outside the classroom. The state government has issued guidelines to integrate co-curricular and experiential learning into the academic credit system for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students.
Under the new rules, students can earn up to 6 credits through activities such as NCC, NSS, sports, cultural activities, Youth Red Cross, incubation and outreach programmes. The Department of Higher Education circulated the guidelines to the Vice-Chancellor of state universities and principals of government and aided colleges for necessary action.
Haryana Credit System for NCC, NSS and Co-Curricular Activities
The initiative is aimed at recognising learning that happens beyond the conventional classroom. The guidelines for the creditisation of non-formal and informal learning have been framed to give academic weight to work students already do outside their regular courses.
The move will directly benefit 25,000 NCC volunteers and 70,000 NSS volunteers in the state. These students will now be able to convert their volunteer and training work into credits that count toward their degrees.
Which Activities Qualify for Academic Credits in Haryana
The guidelines cover a wide range of activities. Students can earn credits through:
- National Cadet Corps (NCC)
- National Service Scheme (NSS)
- Sports
- Cultural activities
- Youth Red Cross
- Incubation and outreach programmes
The Department of Higher Education sent the guidelines to university and college heads so they can take the required steps to implement the system.
Our Take: A Practical Step That Deserves Proper Implementation
In our view, this is a sensible reform. For years, students who spent hours on NCC camps, NSS drives, sports training and cultural events got no academic recognition for that work. Their classroom-only peers moved ahead with the same credit count. That never felt fair.
To put it plainly, giving up to 6 credits for these activities tells students that service, discipline and teamwork matter as much as a lecture hall. It also gives colleges a reason to take these programmes seriously instead of treating them as side events.
The real test, however, is in the details. The guidelines must be applied the same way across all state universities and colleges. If one college hands out credits easily and another makes students run from desk to desk, the system will lose trust. Students should also get a clear list of how many credits each activity is worth, so nobody is left guessing.
For the 25,000 NCC and 70,000 NSS volunteers in Haryana, this news is a genuine win. What they need now is a simple, transparent process to claim what they have earned.