Maharashtra Govt Approves 4-Year Undergraduate Programmes With Honours And Research Options From 2026
Maharashtra Govt Approves 4-Year Undergraduate Programmes With Honours And Research Options From 2026
Mumbai, April 8, 2026: The Maharashtra government has cleared the introduction of four-year undergraduate programmes across the state, bringing in honours and honours with research degrees from the 2026–27 academic session in line with the National Education Policy 2020.
The move is aimed at creating uniformity and ensuring smooth implementation of the revised undergraduate structure across all public universities, as well as affiliated and autonomous colleges in Maharashtra.
As per a government resolution issued on Monday, the new undergraduate programme will span eight semesters. After completing the third year, students will have two choices: pursue a standard honours degree or opt for an honours degree with a research component.
Students selecting the honours track will need to complete between 160 and 176 credits over four years, which will include an internship in the final year. Those choosing the honours with research option will be required to undertake a research project or dissertation worth 12 credits in their major subject.
The Higher and Technical Education Department stated that students must complete 120 to 132 credits during the first three years to qualify for entry into the fourth year of the honours programme. Additionally, those opting for the research track must secure a minimum cumulative grade point average of 7.5.
The number of seats available for the research stream will depend on the availability of recognised PhD supervisors, with each guide permitted to mentor up to five students.
To support flexibility under the NEP framework, all students will be required to register on the Academic Bank of Credits platform, enabling credit transfers and multiple entry and exit options during the course.
The policy also allows students to enter the fourth year at different colleges or university departments, subject to eligibility, seat availability, and applicable reservation norms.
Colleges that currently offer only three-year undergraduate programmes must seek approval to introduce the fourth year. However, institutions already running postgraduate courses in the same discipline can automatically start the fourth-year honours programme. Similarly, colleges with recognised PhD centres will be allowed to offer the honours with research programme without additional permissions.
The evaluation process will follow a semester-based system, combining continuous internal assessment with end-of-semester examinations. Universities will have the flexibility to design specific assessment patterns.
In addition, up to 40 per cent of courses in a semester may be delivered through online platforms such as SWAYAM, in accordance with University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines.
To strengthen the link between undergraduate and postgraduate studies, the government has stated that the fourth year of the honours programme will be aligned with the first year of a two-year postgraduate degree.
For engineering courses regulated by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the fourth year will follow a separate structure, offering options such as a major with a minor, double minors, or honours degrees.
The government added that a steering committee will periodically review the implementation of these reforms to ensure effective execution across the state.
