UGC issues guidelines for students seeking admission in ODL

New Delhi: Ensuring recognition status of Higher Education Institution (HEI) and course, equivalence of qualification with conventional mode, and non-inclusion in list of prohibited courses are among the UGC guidelines for students seeking admission in open and distance learning programmes.

"Students should ensure the status of higher educational institutions (HEIs) which includes recognition status and entitlement status. Students must check which HEIs are debarred for offering ODL or online programmes and have been put under no admission category'," the guidelines by University Grants Commission (UGC) said.

"Students should thoroughly check the details of the HEIs, its documents, application, affidavit on the Commission's website. If a student finds any deviation in the details available on the official website of HEIs, he or she should communicate it to UGC," it said.

The Commission has also notified a list of 17 programmes that are prohibited to be offered under ODL and online mode.

These programmes include engineering, medical, physiotherapy, pharmacy, hotel management, horticulture, nursing, law, agriculture, catering technology, aircraft maintenance, visual arts and sports among others.