Starting in September, students enrolling in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) or online programs will face a new enrollment process designed to protect their academic futures and ensure transparency. The University Grants Commission (UGC) introduced these changes following reports that some higher educational institutions (HEIs) had admitted students into unapproved programs, putting their education at risk.

During its 581st meeting on June 25, the UGC decided to enforce a standardized admission procedure across all recognized HEIs offering ODL and online programs.

As part of this initiative, students must now register on the UGC Distance Education Bureau (DEB) web portal with their Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) ID to obtain a unique DEB-ID before enrolling. This DEB-ID, mandatory for all Indian students (except foreign learners), will remain valid for lifelong learning in these modes.

The new measures align with the UGC’s 2020 regulations, which set minimum standards for HEIs offering ODL and Online Programmes. The Commission's list of approved universities is publicly available on the UGC-DEB website.