The University Grants Commission (UGC) issued a series of guidelines on Tuesday for students seeking to enroll in programs offered under Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and online learning mode. The start of the academic session has been postponed to September. The last date to sign up for the ODL or online learning courses is October 31 at ugc.ac.in.
The four page notice issued by Prof Rajnish Jain, the secretary of UGC lists nine precautions students should take before enrolling. Among them, there is a list of programs included in the notice that are not allowed to be offered under the ODL or online learning mode. It has also been learned that MPhil and PhD programs in all disciplines are prohibited through ODL or online learning mode.
Read also| No NET or BEd, know the UGC guidelines for practical teachers
Degrees and diplomas offered at UG or PG level through courses in ODL or online learning mode should be considered equivalent to the corresponding awards offered through conventional mode, the guidelines say.
Students must ensure that the minimum duration, nomenclature, and entry-level qualification for their desired program is strict as per the UGC Degree Specification Notice, 2014. Generally, the minimum eligibility for undergraduate (UG) program is 10+2 education and a postgraduate (PG) degree requires a bachelor’s degree.
Students are advised to check the recognition and entitlement status of higher education institutions (Higher Education Institutions) prior to admission and regularly. Students should also check which universities and colleges have been excluded or placed under the ‘no admission’ category.
The guidelines stated that students must strictly ensure that the HEI admission, counseling sessions, contact programs, program delivery, examinations, or any other activity must be conducted within the territorial jurisdiction specified (in the notice).
Franchise arrangements for the provision of ODL and online learning programs are also prohibited. Students must ensure that all programs, as well as the learning platform, are only offered by the HEI.
Students are eligible for mobility from one way of learning to another within the varsity. Admission under a recognized program is recognized until its completion, even if the university is not recognized for further years. In the case of ODL, a learner residing in any part of the country can enroll in any program offered by a university as it carries out all activities within its territorial jurisdiction. For online learning, students from within or outside India can enroll in any program offered by a HEI.
Students should check all details on the website of the higher education institutions. The documents submitted by the institute such as application, affidavit, regulatory approval and other additional information have been updated on the UGC website. Students should verify details on the official website and inform the committee in case of any discrepancy. They must also read the bulletin board before being admitted, the committee said.
Read all Latest education news and Important news here