Precautions by students before enrolling Open & Distance Learning (ODL) and/or Online Learning (OL) mode.
UGC Public Notice: Precautions to be taken by the students before enrolling in Programme offered under Open & Distance Learning (ODL) and/or Online Learning (OL) mode.
Precautions by students before enrolling Open & Distance Learning (ODL) and/or Online Learning (OL) mode
UGC has notified University Grants Commission (Open and Distance Leaming Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020 on 4th september. 2020 in the Gazette of India. Subsequently. amendments to the Principal regulations have been notified on lst July, 2021, 18th July, 2022 and 2nd May, 2024.
These regulations lay down the minimum standards of instruction for the grant of degrees at the undergraduate and post graduate levels and grant of post graduate diploma of duration of two years in Open and Distance Learning and/or Online mode.
Students must confirm the recognition status of HEI for offering ODL and Online education for the session opted for admission on UGC DEB website, check the details on the HEIs’ website, take note of
prohibited programmes and prohibition of franchising arrangement and ensure that all activities are being conducted within Territorial Jurisdiction for ODL Programmes. The details are as under:
Ensuring Status of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIS):
(i) Recognition status of HEIs: The year-wise, academic session wise status of HEIs recognized to offer Programmes through Open and Distance Learning mode and/or Online mode is available on
UGC website at https://deb.ugc.ac.in.
(ii) Entitlement Status of HEIS: The list of HEls Entitled to offer Programmes in ODL mode and/or online mode with names of Proprrammes is available on UGC website at https://deb.ugc.ac.in/.
(iii) Please read the notifications at Notice Board before taking admission. The notifications can be accessed on UGC website at the following link: https://www.usc.gov.in, Notices or
https://deb.ugc.ac.in notices New Notices.
(iv) Last date of admissions for all HEIs for offering ODL and/or Online Programmes for academic session beginning October,2024 (revised flom July-August, 2024) shall be 15th November, 2024.
Mandatory creation of DEB-ID for enrolling students in ODL/Online Programmes
Commission in its 58th meeting held on 25th June, 2024 decided to standardize the admission process for students enrolling in ODL and/or OL programmes to safeguard their academic future and career opportunities.
Accordingly, students shall register on UGC-DEB webportal with his/her Academic Bank of Credit (ABC)-ID to generate a unique DEB-ID which will be mandatory to enroll in ODL/Online programmes in recognized/entitled HEIs from academic year 2024-25. academic session beginning October, 2024 (revised from July-August, 2024) and onwards.
The DEB-ID once generated on UGC-DEB web portal will remain valid for lifelong ODL/Online leaming. The stake holders shall refer to the public notice F. No. 1-6/2024(DEB-ll) dated 19th August, 2024 for detailed procedure for enrolment of students in Open and Distance Learning(ODl) and/or Online programmes.
Checking the details on the HEIs’website:
All HEIs that are recognized/entitled to offer ODL and/or Online programmes are required to upload details such as application (submitted to UGC), Affidavit, Statutory Body approval, Regulatory Authority Approval and additional information on their website.
Caution against admission in prohibited programmes:
Programmes in the following disciplines (including their allied domains) are prohibited to be offered under C)DL and Online mode:
(i) Engineering
(ii) Medical
(iii) Physiotherapy
(iv) Occupational Therapy and other Para-Medical disciplines
(v) Pharmacy
(vi) Nursing
(vii) Dental
(viii) Architecture
(ix) Law (x) Agriculture
(xi) Horticulture
(xii) Hotel Management
(xiii) Catering technology
(xiv) Culinary Sciences
(xv) Aircraft maintenance
(xvi) Visual Arts and Sports
(xvii) Aviation
(xviii) any other programme not permitted to be offered through Open and Distance Learning mode and/or Online mode by arry concerned statutory or regulatory body or council. Accordingly, Yoga and Tourism & Hospitality Management programmes at UG and PG level are not permitted in Online mode.
Important Learner Centre provisions of the Regulations
(i) Learner’s mobility: A leamer enrolled for a programme under Open and Distance Learning mode and/or Online mode in a Higher Educational Institution recognised by the Commission under
these regulations shall be eligible for mobility from one mode of leaming to another mode of leaming within the Higher Educational Institution as per the provisions stipulated under its Act and with the approval of statutory authorities of the Higher Educational institution;
Provided that in case a programme is under the domain of regulatory authority/statutory council, Higher Educational Institution shall take permission from the concerned regulatory authority/statutory council for mobili! of leaders in such programmes.
(ii) Admission taken during recognition period: Admission taken in a recognized programme under Open and Distance Leaming mode and/or Online mode during the recognition period stands recognised till the completion of programme. even if the Higher Educational institution does not have recognition for further years, provided the programme is offered as per the UGC norms of territorial jurisdiction and in conformity with the extant guidelines and/or UGC regulations and regulations of respective regulatory bodies.
(iii) Learner’s enrolment (for Open and Distance Learning mode): A Leamer residing in any part of the Country may enroll in any programme being offered by a Higher Educational Institution recognised by the Commission for offering programme under Open and Distance Leaming mode, provided that the Higher Educational Institution shall conduct all activities such as admissions, contact programmes, examinations etc. for leamer strictly within the territorial jurisdiction of the Higher Educational Institution as specified in UGC regulations.
(iv) Learner’s enrolment (for Online mode): A Leamer residing within or outside India may enroll in any programme being offered by a Higher Educational Institution recognized by the Commission for offering programme under Online mode.