UGC has given some precautionary guidelines that students should keep in mind while enrolling for these programmes. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued important guidelines for students who wish to enrol for Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and online learning programs.
The commission has also notified a list of programs which are prohibited to be offered under ODL and online mode.
The UGC’s precautionary guidelines are applicable to both undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) programmes. What are the precautions a student should take before enrolling under ODL and online learning programs are provided here. The checklist further includes the status of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), and the duration of an academic session to follow, among others. These programs include engineering, medical, physiotherapy and many more.
A) A student should ensure that the minimum duration, nomenclature, and entry level qualifications for ODL and online courses under which enrollment is being made are strictly as per the UGC notification. The minimum qualification for enrollment in UG program is class 12 pass and for PG program is a bachelor’s degree.
B) Students must ensure the status of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) including accreditation status, eligibility status. Students should check which higher education institutions are debarred from offering ODL or online programs and placed under the ‘no admission category’.
C) HEI should adhere to the duration of the academic session notified by the UGC. The academic session starting from July-August 2022 has been revised to September 2022. The last date to apply for the academic session 2024-25 is till October 31, 2022.
D) Students should thoroughly check the details of HEI, its documents, application, affidavit on the website of the Commission. If any student finds any deviation in the details available on the official website of HEI website, he/she should inform the same to the UGC.
E) The UGC has strictly prohibited universities, whether central, state, private or deemed universities, to admit their programs to learners through franchising arrangements and to conduct courses through ODL and online modes.
F) UG, PG degree awarded under ODL and online mode will be treated as equivalent to the respective award of degree at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
G) UGC has also notified the list of programs which are available in the official notification which are prohibited to be offered under ODL and online mode. There are around 17 ODL programs which are banned by the UGC which includes MPhil and PhD programs.
H) Students should remember that higher education institutions are conducting all their activities including admissions, counseling, and examinations for ODL programs within the territorial jurisdiction.
I) HEI should have important learner centre provisions of the regulations which include learner mobility, admissions taken during the accreditation period and learner enrollment for ODL and online mode programmes.
