UGC Allows 900 Autonomous Colleges to Offer Online Degree Courses: Check here for more Details

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UGC Allows 900 Autonomous Colleges to Offer Online Degree Courses: Check here for more Details

By: International Institute of Business Studies (IIBS) | Monday, 21 Feb 2022, 12:28 IST

UGC has come up with a decision to allow 900 autonomous colleges to provide online degree course training to the students with a broad variety of learning opportunities. UGC has taken this decision in accordance with the principles of NEP 2020, and it will be effective from July onwards as the government opens up the online education segment in a major reform to achieve 50% gross enrolment ratio by 2035. Through the online degree courses, students will be able to receive their training and degrees remotely.

Currently, universities are offering 120 UG, 229 PG and two PG diploma programmes online. The choice is limited because only courses taught conventionally can be offered digitally. The new order by UGC will allow 900 autonomous colleges to do so.

The new framework will also let higher educational institutions (HEIs), consisting of autonomous colleges, teach courses in emerging areas that may not be possible in in-person mode. There will not be any requirement of ‘one batch passout’ in conventional programmes so as to offer the same programme in open & distance learning (ODL) and online mode. In the current structure, courses taught in universities don’t vary, though the medium of instruction could be either digital or conventional.

UGC Online Degree Programmes: Requirements

Below mentioned are the criterion required for the autonomous institutes to offer online degree programmes:

The colleges have to secure the top 100 ranks in their respective subject categories twice in the consecutive three rankings of NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework)

They need to have a NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) grade of a minimum of 3.26

These colleges need not seek prior approval from the UGC but will be required to follow the guidelines in order to provide online degrees.

UGC Approved Online Degree Programmes: Eligibility Criteria for Students

Candidates will to apply for the online degree need to have the following minimum requirements:

Candidates need to pass the class 12 exam
Candidates also are required to be undergraduate qualified

UGC Approved Online Degree Programmes: Evaluation Process

The National Testing Agency (NTA) evaluates the candidate through online proctored mode exams or computer-based tests in CBC format. Students need to possess a minimum of 75% attendance, just like the regular degree courses.

The online degree programmes are different in nature from the regular ones, in terms of structure and timeline. The remote courses will be more flexible and include many options.

UGC will share a more detailed framework in March 2022.