States » NorthPosted at: Sep 27 2026 11:33AM


Haryana to award academic credits for NCC, NSS, sports, yoga, cultural and startup activities

Panchkula, Sep 27 (UNI) Haryana has launched a new academic credit framework allowing university and college students to earn degree credits for participating in NCC, NSS, sports, Yogasan, cultural programs, startup development, community outreach, and verified self-learning outside the classroom.
The Higher Education Department has issued detailed guidelines for the scheme, titled “Creditization for NCC, NSS, Sports & Yogasan, Cultural Activities, Youth Red Cross, Incubation and Outreach Activities under the NEP-aligned Undergraduate/Post-Graduate Framework.” These guidelines have been distributed to all state universities and government, government-aided, self-financed, and private colleges in Haryana for implementation.
This initiative follows the 2026-27 Budget announcement by the Chief Minister, which proposed integrating NCC, NSS, sports, and Yogasan into the Academic Credit Bank. The announcement stated that 25,000 NCC cadets and 70,000 NSS students would benefit.
The government has expanded the framework beyond NCC and NSS to include sports and Yogasan, cultural activities, Youth Red Cross, incubation and startup development, outreach activities, and informal learning.
The government aims to recognise experiential learning, community recognition, and entrepreneurship as integral parts of a student’s degree, rather than treating learning outside the classroom as separate from academic achievement.
Students in three or four-year undergraduate programs can earn up to six credits through these activities. Those in two-year postgraduate programs can earn up to four credits. One academic credit equals 30 hours of verified fieldwork, practice, or participation.
A university assessment committee will verify certificates and learning outcomes before awarding credits. Grades, ranging from O (Outstanding) to other prescribed levels, will be recorded in the Academic Bank of Credits portal.
The guidelines apply to all state universities, government and government-aided colleges affiliated with state universities, and self-financed and private colleges in Haryana. They cover students in three and four-year undergraduate courses and one- and two-year postgraduate programs.
The government has set credit ceilings for each activity. NCC, sports and Yogasan, cultural activities, incubation, and outreach activities can each carry up to six credits. NSS and Youth Red Cross can each carry up to 4 credits, while informal learning can earn up to 2 credits per program.
For NCC, the Associate NCC Officer or the relevant ‘C’ Certificate will form part of the verification mechanism, while NSS credits will be verified by the NSS programme officer or coordinator, along with institutional camp certificates.
Sports and Yogasan achievements will be verified by the Director of Physical Education or through prescribed certificates, while cultural activities will be overseen by the Director of Youth Welfare and Cultural Affairs. Incubation credits will be verified through university incubation centres or Innovation and Incubation Councils, while Youth Red Cross and outreach activities will be verified through the Dean of Student Welfare.
The 18-page framework specifies detailed grading criteria, ensuring credits are awarded based on achievement rather than mere enrollment.
In NCC, an Outstanding grade, worth 10 grade points, can be linked to participation in an International Youth Exchange Programme or for participation in Republic Day; an Alpha grade qualifies under the “Very Good” category, while the framework also recognises centrally organised camps and national-level participation.
For NSS, the assessment framework includes national and state NSS awards, Republic Day Parade Camp, National Integration Camps, and other recognised programs. It also incorporates verified annual NSS activity, seven-day camps, plantation work, and blood donation into the grading criteria.
Youth Red Cross students can similarly receive grades based on national, state, regional and institutional-level activities, training camps, annual participation and blood donation.
The framework outlines a detailed hierarchy for recognising sports achievements.
An Outstanding grade can be awarded for first-, second-, or third-place finishes in the Olympics, World Cup, Paralympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Continental Games, Junior World Cup, Youth Olympics, and World University Games, subject to the conditions laid down in the guidelines.
Participation and achievements at the national, state, university, Khelo India, and inter-college levels are assigned different grades. The government requires that qualifying championships be organised by recognised federations and that achievements occur during the student’s course. A key aspect of the policy is the inclusion of entrepreneurship and startup activities in the academic credit structure.

The highest grade in incubation and entrepreneurship may be awarded for achievements including receiving a Startup India Seed Grant, reaching specified Technology Readiness Levels, securing a patent, starting a qualifying bootstrapped MSME or startup with at least Rs 2 lakh in revenue, obtaining funding of more than Rs 5 lakh from an incubation centre, or securing a winning position in the Smart India Hackathon, subject to the detailed conditions in the guidelines.
Other grades cover achievements such as reaching the final round of the Smart India Hackathon or another qualifying hackathon, publishing a patent, securing lower levels of startup funding, filing a patent, pitching an idea to an incubation centre or participating successfully in innovation and idea-pitching competitions.
Community outreach is now formally recognised as a credit-bearing activity.
Leadership in a high-impact outreach project with measurable social impact qualifies for the highest grade. The framework also recognises work in adult education, education of dropouts, resource mobilisation, surveys, and fieldwork addressing community issues.
At other levels, students can receive recognition for at least 120 hours of active participation in structured outreach programs, such as counselling, awareness campaigns, rallies, and advocacy, provided the work is supported by evidence, such as attendance records, photographs, or activity reports.
The policy provides separate assessment criteria for Yogasan sports. Medals at the World or Asian Yogasana Championships, or participation in qualifying international competitions, earn an Outstanding grade, while national, state, university, district, and institutional participation are graded at other levels.
The guidelines include a detailed Yoga Club grading system based on attendance, community programs, knowledge, and practical performance.
To earn an Outstanding grade, a student must have at least 90% attendance and organise six approved outreach programs, such as village yoga camps, school yoga awareness programs, women’s wellness initiatives, senior citizen yoga sessions, anti-drug awareness through yoga, and International Day of Yoga activities.
The highest category also requires prescribed knowledge of Yog Sutras and Bhagavad Gita shlokas, as well as proficiency in various asana categories. Lower grades require progressively less attendance, outreach, and competency.
The policy also allows informal or self-directed learning to earn up to two credits.
A certified online course, a published article or blog, a portfolio, an innovation prototype, or a community-learning project can qualify for the highest grade if accompanied by a reflective report demonstrating learning outcomes and application.
MOOCs, workshops, independent projects, structured field learning, reading logs, and mentor-supported work can also qualify at various grading levels. The framework sets 60 hours as the minimum benchmark for some informal learning assessments.
The government has incorporated verification safeguards into the system.
Students seeking credits must submit evidence such as attendance records, logbooks, certificates, reports, portfolios, competition results, and mentor notes. Institutions will verify total hours, learning outcomes, and supporting documents before recommending credits for institutional records and the Academic Bank of Credits.
The guidelines specifically say that duplicate claims, fabricated documents, proxy participation and unverifiable activities should not be considered for academic credit.
Institutions are required to use multiple verification methods, including viva voce, tests, presentations, plagiarism screening, and random checks. Assessments will be conducted by an institutional committee, with record-keeping, periodic audits, and digital documentation to strengthen accountability.
The scheme aligns with the National Education Policy 2020, UGC guidelines, National Credit Framework, and Academic Bank of Credits. The state government aims to produce graduates whose leadership, community service, entrepreneurship, and practical skills are formally recognised alongside classroom learning.
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Tags: #Haryana to award academic credits for NCC# NSS# sports# yoga# cultural and startup activities
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