The Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Department has released guidelines for the implementation of a fourth year in undergraduate courses, as mandated by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. This program will be structured into eight semesters, offering two pathways: a 4-Year UG Degree with Honours and a 4-Year UG Degree Honours with Research. For the Honours with Research degree, students must complete a research project or dissertation worth 12 credits in their fourth year. Colleges currently offering only three-year undergraduate courses must seek approval to introduce the fourth year, while those with existing postgraduate programs in the same major will automatically qualify. Admission to the fourth year requires students to have earned 120-132 credits and a minimum CGPA of 7.5. The guidelines also outline criteria for colleges to gain approval, including infrastructure and faculty requirements. Additionally, pathways for engineering courses have been established, allowing for various specializations and minors.