UGC directs HEIs to award degrees to eligible students within 180 days

The UGC, in a letter to all the vice-chancellors of universities and principals of colleges, also said that it will take punitive actions against universities that fail to award degrees as per the UGC regulations.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed all the higher education institutions across the country to award degrees to all the successful students within 180 days of eligibility as per the UGC (Grant of Degrees and Other Awards by Universities) Regulations, 2008. The UGC, in a letter to all the vice-chancellors of universities and principals of colleges, also said that it will take punitive actions against universities that fail to award degrees as per the UGC regulations.

"The Degree award date/s shall be within 180 days of the date/s by which the students are expected to qualify and become eligible for them," says the UGC regulation. The commission stressed the regulations against the backdrop of a large number of grievances from students regarding the delay in awarding the degrees.

Students are faced with difficulties when they are pursuing higher education or employment due to the delay in awarding degrees.

"Needless to say, getting a Degree in time after having successfully completed a program is an inviolable privilege of a student," said the letter from UGC. UGC requested all higher education institutions to follow the UGC regulation and award degrees to eligible students within the prescribed time, and also to issue provisional degrees along with the final year transcripts to students. Candidates can read the UGC regulation on awarding of degrees at the official website -- ugc.ac.in. 

"The Commission has taken a serious view of this issue. In this connection, the attention of all HEIs is invited to the UGC letter D.O.No.F.1-1/2016 (Secy) dated May 2o16 which is available on the UGC website www.ugc.ac.in. Considering the huge significance of this privilege, the Commission notified full-fledged regulation entitled UGC (Grant of Degrees and Other Awards by Universities) Regulations, 2008, the regulation 4.4 of which mandates that: "The Degree award date/s shall be within 180 days of the date/s by which the students are expected to qualify and become eligible for them," the UGC said in an official notification.

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