LU to offer four-year UG course with research

Lucknow University (LU) will soon roll out a detailed process for students seeking to pursue four years of undergraduate courses (UG) under the National Education Policy (NEP), officials said.

Students who want to pursue UG (four years with a research degree) but their respective colleges don't offer research-level teaching are likely to be moved to LU or another college of equivalent repute.

LU has more than 500 affiliated colleges.

LU adopted NEP in 2020, and the academic session 2024–25 will be the first batch of four-year UG students, who will be awarded the UG Honours with a research degree.

However, only those students who have scored 7.5 cumulative grade points or above till the sixth semester will be allowed to pursue UG for four years.

"Not all undergraduate students will get an opportunity to pursue four-year UG. Only meritorious ones, who score above 7.5 CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) are allowed to take the four-year course. In the fourth year, the syllabus is completely focused on research, and a student will be doing a specialisation in a subject just like in post-graduation," said Dean, Academics, Geetanjali Mishra.

She added that the university has already issued directives that only LU-affiliated colleges that offer postgraduation (PG) in a particular subject can admit students in their fourth year of UG in that subject.

Colleges that don't offer PG in a particular subject will not be allowed to pursue four years of UG in that subject.

Students will be allowed to do their fourth year only in their principal major, also known as Major 1.

In cases where students from colleges that don't offer PG but have scored 7.5 CGPA or above and want to pursue fourth-year UG, they will likely be allowed to seek admission in LU or another affiliated college offering the programme.

"The University of Lucknow will become the first university to issue the degree 'UG Honours with Research' in the country," said LU Vice-Chancellor Alok Kumar Rai.