UGC warns students against courses offered under distance, online learning mode

The University Grants Commission has cautioned students from taking admission to courses that can not be pursued online or open and distance learning modes.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has warned students from taking admission to a number of higher educational courses, including engineering, hotel management and architecture, as they cannot be availed fully through online, or open and distance learning (ODL) modes. The streams listed by UGC also include MPhil or Ph.D. degrees. This is primarily because such courses need a sizeable amount of practice beyond classroom teaching which is not always possible via ODL or online.

UGC has released the notification after online education has gained its momentum, with most of the educational institutions across the country been shut given the coronavirus pandemic. 

The UGC's in a notification released a caution against admission to courses like "engineering, medicine, law, dental, pharmacy, nursing, architecture, physiotherapy, agriculture, hotel management, culinary studies, valuation of real estate, any other program not permitted …by any statutory council or regulatory bodies. Apart from the above, MPhil and Ph.D. programs in all disciplines through ODL, and online mode, are also prohibited."

Read the official notification by UGC on Precautions to be taken by the students Before enrolling for programmes offered under Open & Distance Learning (ODL) and/or Online Learning Mode here

This won't affect institutions to offer 20 per cent of their course through recognised online mode during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has been approved by UGC earlier. The UGC notice added that private or public-funded universities cannot offer their programs through franchising arrangements with private coaching institutions for admitting learners and conducting courses through open and distance learning and online mode.

"Please ensure that the complete admission process is carried out through the headquarters of the higher educational institutions in a transparent manner," it said.

The regulator has asked learners "to verify all details as claimed by the higher educational institutions on its official website as all such HEIs that are recognised to offer ODL and or online programs are required to upload all the details on their website."

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