New Delhi: Amid COVID 19 pandemic, distance education and online education programmes are gaining popularity. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has alerted students   to remain cautious while enrolling programmes  offered  under open  & distance  learning ODL and /or  Online  Learning  mode.

Students should take three precautions before enrolling distance education or online education:  Ensuring recognition status  of Higher  Educational  Institutions(HELs); adherence to duration of academic session;  Adherence to UGC approved degree programmes under open  & distance  learning ODL and /or  Online  Learning  mode.

The years  wise (academic session wise) recognition  status  of HELs approved  to offer  programmes  through  open and  distance  mode  and online  mode  is in public domain  can be accessed  at UGC website www.ugc.ac.in/deb or http://deb.ugc.ac.in

The UGC has also banned specific programs under ODL and Online mode. These 14 programmes are given below:

Engineering

Medicine

Law

Dental

Pharmacy

Nursing

Architecture

Physiotherapy

Agriculture

Hotel Management

Culinary studies

 Valuation of real estate

Any other programme  not permitted  to be offered  in distance  mode  by  any Statutory  Councils  or Regulatory  bodies

A part  from the above , MPhil  and PhD programmes  in all disciplines  through ODL  and  Online  mode  are also prohibited.