UGC Introduces New Enrollment Procedure For Open and Distance Learning, Online Programmes

The University Grants Commission (UGC) is implementing a new enrollment process for admitting students to open and distance learning (ODL) and online programs this academic year.

Under the new plan, students enrolling in ODL and online programs will need to first register on the UGC’s Distance Education Bureau (UGC-DEB) web portals – deb.ugc.ac.in with their Academic Bank of Credit (ABC)-ID and create a unique DEB-ID, as stated by UGC chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar.

The DEB-ID will be mandatory for all students enrolling in recognized ODL/Online programs, except for foreign learners, and will remain valid for their lifetime. Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) are encouraged to implement this new admission process efficiently and promote it to new learners to ensure successful adoption and operation, added the UGC Chairman.

The DEB-ID, once generated on the UGC-DEB web portal, will remain valid for lifelong ODL/Online learning.

This change will be effective from September 2024 and aims to ensure that students enroll only in approved higher educational institutions (HEIs) offering ODL and online programs, said Mamidala. This new procedure aims to enhance transparency in the admissions process.

The Chairman also emphasised that the UGC (ODL Programs and Online Programs) Regulations, 2020 set the minimum standards for such programs, and a list of recognized institutions is available on the UGC Distance Education Bureau website.

“It came to the notice of the Commission in the recent past that few HEIs admitted students in unrecognized ODL/Online programmes and thereby putting the future of students at stake. To address such incidents and to increase the transparency in ODL and Online mode admission, Commission in its 581st meeting held on 25th June 2024 has decided to standardize the admission procedure for students enrolling in ODL and Online mode to safeguard their academic future and career prospects,” an official statement issued in this regard said.

Fore more details visit the official website.

Published on: Wednesday, August 14, 2024, 12:07 PM IST