National Credit Framework (NCrF) - UPSC Notes | Testbook.com

Delving into the National Credit Framework (NCrF): Components and Provisions

The NCrF is a sophisticated meta-framework that is built on three core verticals:

• National School Education Qualification Framework (NSEQF)
• National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) and National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF)
• The NCrF, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP), emphasizes the amalgamation of academic and vocational education
• The credit system of the NCrF is formulated on the basis of the total "Notional Learning hours in a year" for assigning credits

Understanding Credit Levels and Aadhaar-Enabled Student Registration under NCrF

• The NCrF proposes a diverse range of levels within this framework, extending from level 1 to level 8
• An Aadhaar-enabled student registration system will be employed, following which an Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) account will be initiated. This account will serve as a repository for degree and credits
• The framework also plans to introduce a knowledge locker, akin to the DigiLocker

How the NCrF stands to benefit the Indian education system

• Merging Academic and Vocational Education: The NCrF, in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP), underlines the importance of integrating academic and vocational education
• Promoting Lifelong Learning Opportunities: By amalgamating the credits earned through school education, higher education, vocational, and skill education, NCrF fosters lifelong learning opportunities
• Facilitating Horizontal and Vertical Mobility: One of the primary objectives of the NCrF is to ensure seamless horizontal and vertical mobility between various education streams in India. This flexibility will enable students to transition between different education streams and secure jobs based on their skills and qualifications

Challenges Ahead:

• The execution of the NCrF is expected to encounter several hurdles, including issues related to implementation, standardization, acceptance, and widespread adoption
• Ensuring uniformity across these verticals while addressing the distinct needs of each stream may prove to be a significant challenge
• The proposed Aadhaar-enabled student registration and the academic bank of credit account for storing student data may lead to potential security and privacy concerns