UGC Issues Academic Credit Bank Directive 2082 in Nepal

News 09 Aug 2026 126 By: Collegenp

University Grants Commission (UGC Nepal)

University Grants Commission Issues ‘Academic Credit Bank Establishment and Operation Directive, 2082’: Full Details

With the objective of promoting student mobility and continuity in higher education by enabling the accumulation and transfer of academic credits earned by students studying higher education within Nepal and abroad, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued the ‘Academic Credit Bank Establishment and Operation Directive, 2082.’

Issued pursuant to Section 6, Subsection (1), Clause (छ१) of the University Grants Commission Act, 2050, the Directive will apply to universities and equivalent academies established or incorporated in Nepal under federal and provincial laws.

The detailed provisions contained in the Directive are as follows:

1. Important Definitions (Section 2)

Credit: A unit measure of academic value earned by a student for completing 15 to 16 hours of learning activities.
Academic Credit Bank: A service system (digital platform) established by the Commission to facilitate the accumulation and transfer of credits earned by students.
Student: A person registered or enrolled and engaged in study or research at a higher education institution established under the prevailing law of any country. This also includes a person whose study or research was interrupted midway and who has not yet been able to complete it.

2. Academic Credit Bank (ABC) and Account Provisions (Sections 3 and 4)

A digital platform called the ‘Academic Bank of Credits - ABC’ will be maintained at the Commission. It will function as a bank for academic purposes and provide services related to credit verification, accumulation, and transfer.
Students may deposit in the Bank credits earned at any recognized university or institution in Nepal or abroad.
Individual Account: Each student will be provided with the facility to open a personal ‘Academic Bank Account’ digitally.
Verification: To open an account, students must submit their personal details, academic certificates, and details of credits earned. The submitted documents will be considered valid, and the account will be updated, only when the documents are sent directly to the Commission by the concerned higher education institution.

3. Rules and Limits for Credit Transfer (Sections 5 and 6)

A student seeking to transfer credits for study at another institution must submit an application to the Commission in the format prescribed in Schedule 1.
The Commission will provide the relevant details only after the university where the student intends to study confirms that the credits can be used.
Time Limit: Credits may be transferred and used only within seven years for the undergraduate level and five years for the graduate level.
Credit Limit: The maximum amount of transferred credit must not exceed 50 percent of the curriculum of the program the student intends to study.
Semester or Year Must Be Completed: Credits from an incomplete semester or academic year will not be transferable.
Equivalence: Credit transfer will be based on the equivalence between the credits earned by the student and the university’s curriculum and subjects. For interdisciplinary subjects, credits may be transferred only with the approval of the concerned university’s Academic Council or equivalent body.
Transcript Requirement: Details of credits received through transfer must be compulsorily recorded in the academic transcript.

4. Application Format for Credit Transfer (Schedule 1)

The following details and documents must be included with an application submitted to the Commission:

Student Details: Name, citizenship number, Academic Bank Account details, contact number, and email.
Academic Background: Name and address of the institution where the credits were earned, courses/subjects studied, total number of credits, and date on which the credits were earned.
Purpose: Name and address of the institution to which the student wishes to transfer, and the program/degree the student intends to study.
Required Documents: Copy of the citizenship certificate, details of credits earned from the concerned academic institution, a letter of consent regarding the use of credits from the institution where the credits were earned, and a letter from the institution where the student intends to study confirming that the credits can be used.

5. Minimum Standards Required for Credit Verification (Schedule 2)

For credit verification, the concerned universities must implement the following standards:

Curriculum Level and Type: Each curriculum must clearly specify its level, such as undergraduate or graduate, the depth of learning, expected skills, and credit-hour load.
Curriculum Objectives: The expected knowledge, skills, and competencies, as well as the purpose of teaching them, must be clearly stated.
Quality Approval: The determination of credits for a subject must be approved by the concerned university’s Academic Council or an equivalent body.
Student Workload: The time required for one credit, including classroom study, laboratory work, homework, projects, and self-study, must be clearly specified.
Teaching-Learning Activities: Learning and practice activities must be included in a balanced manner.
Assessment System: The proportion of Continuous Assessment and the Final Exam must be clearly specified.
Learning Outcomes: Knowledge, skills, and competencies must be clearly defined.
Records and Transparency: Curriculum details, grade reports, and transcripts must clearly state the number of credits, teaching hours, and assessment details.

6. Grading Scale and Learning Assessment (Section 8 and Schedule 3)

Higher education institutions in Nepal must use the Four-Point Grading Scale to assess students’ learning achievement based on continuous assessment and the final examination.

Undergraduate Level Assessment

Grade and Description	Grade Point	Marks
A (Outstanding)	4	≥ 90%
A- (Excellent)	3.70–3.99	80–<90%
B+ (Very Good)	3.30–3.69	70–<80%
B (Good)	3.00–3.29	60–<70%
B- (Satisfactory / Pass)	2.70–2.99	50–<60%
C (Pass)	2.40–2.69	40–<50%
F (Fail)	Below 2.40	<40%

Graduate Level Assessment

Grade and Description	Grade Point	Marks
A (Outstanding)	4	≥ 90%
A- (Excellent)	3.70–3.99	80–<90%
B+ (Very Good)	3.30–3.69	70–<80%
B (Good)	3.00–3.29	60–<70%
B- (Satisfactory / Pass)	2.70–2.99	50–<60%
F (Fail)	Below 2.70	<50%

7. Grading Scale Conversion (Section 9 and Schedule 4)

If a student has earned credits under a scale other than the Four-Point Scale, such as the Ten-Point Scale, and applies for credit transfer, the grade will be converted using the following proportional formula:

Formula: GPA (4.0) = (GPA (10.0) / 10) × 4
Example: If the GPA on a 10-Point Scale is 8.5, the equivalent GPA on the Four-Point Scale will be (8.5 / 10) × 4 = 3.4.

Conversion Scale

10-Point Scale	4-Point Scale
10	4
9	3.6
8	3.2
7	2.8
6	2.4
5	2

8. Security and the Role of Universities

To ensure data security and privacy on the digital platform, the Commission will implement cybersecurity standards, data encryption, and a user authentication system.

For the implementation of this Directive, the concerned universities must make the necessary amendments to their rules and regulations and implement the prescribed provisions.

The Directive also provides that if any obstacle or difficulty arises in its implementation, the Commission may publish a notice and take measures to remove such obstacles.