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NEP 2020 Builds Credit Infrastructure, But Student Mobility Lags
India wants college students to have more choices about where and what they study.
A digital system called the Academic Bank of Credits can store the credits students earn.
Students may then be able to move to another college or return after taking a break.
However, having credits stored online does not mean every college will accept them.
The college receiving a student can decide whether the credits fit its course requirements.
Moving to another city can also be expensive because of rent, food, travel, and hostel costs.
The author says colleges should clearly explain which credits they will accept and how much transfers will cost.
The success of the policy should be measured by actual student transfers, not just registrations in digital systems.
India’s National Education Policy 2020 created systems intended to let students transfer institutions, change programmes, and pause and resume studies.
By July 2026, 2,899 higher education institutions were registered on the Academic Bank of Credits, while 4.79 crore APAAR IDs and 9.78 crore credit records were mapped.
AISHE 2023-24 found that 69% of responding universities were registered on the Academic Bank of Credits, but only 49% offered multiple entry and exit options.
Credit transfer is not automatic because receiving institutions decide whether outside credits meet their academic requirements.
The article calls for transparent equivalence rules and annual data on credit transfers, approvals, rejections, and reasons for rejection.
- Who
- Indian higher education students, universities, colleges, the University Grants Commission, and institutions using the Academic Bank of Credits.
- What
- India is implementing systems for credit storage, transfer, and multiple entry and exit, but actual academic mobility remains difficult to measure and may be limited.
- Where
- Across India’s higher education system.
- When
- The article discusses AISHE 2023-24 data and government figures available as of July 2026.
- Why
- The policy aims to give students greater flexibility to change institutions or programmes, pause studies, and resume without losing academic progress.
Key facts
- Institutions registered on Academic Bank of Credits
- 2,899 as of July 2026
- Universities offering multiple entry and exit
- 49% of 1,278 responding universities in AISHE 2023-24
- Universities registered on Academic Bank of Credits
- 69% of 1,278 responding universities in AISHE 2023-24
- APAAR IDs mapped to awarding institutions
- 4.79 crore as of July 2026
- Credit records mapped to learners
- 9.78 crore as of July 2026
- Joint degree collaboration
- Only 4% of responding universities reported collaboration with other institutions
- Higher education scale
- AISHE 2023-24 recorded 4.50 crore students, 1,289 universities, and 48,246 colleges
- Gross Enrolment Ratio
- 30% according to AISHE 2023-24
Sources
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