On Friday, the University Grants Commission (UGC) requested that all institutions amend their statutes to allow students to pursue two academic degrees in physical mode simultaneously. The UGC had accepted the proposal allowing students to pursue two full-time degrees concurrently in April. On Friday, the rules for it were announced.
"All higher education institutions (HEIs) were asked to develop procedures through their governing bodies that simultaneously permit students to enroll in two academic programs. Please guarantee and accelerate the program implementation as mentioned above, if it hasn't already, for the more significant benefit of the students. "In a letter to institutions, the UGC stated.
As long as the class times for one program do not conflict with the class times of the second program, students may now pursue two full-time academic programs in the physical mode under UGC norms. The Ph.D. programs are exempt from it.
"The goal of allowing a student to pursue two degrees concurrently stems from recognizing, identifying, and fostering the unique capabilities of each student, no hard separations between the humanities and the sciences, curricular and extracurricular activities, or vocational and academic streams, and enabling an individual to study one or more specialized fields of interest at a deep level, as well as developing character, ethical, and constitutional values," the guidelines state.
Students cannot make a retroactive claim for benefits under the guidelines, which take effect as of the UGC's announcement date of September 30, 2022. "The only HEIs that may offer the degree or diploma programs in the ODL (Open and Distance Learning) and Online modes are those that have received the government of India, Statutory Council, and UGC approval. The degree or diploma programs covered by these standards must adhere to the UGC's regulations and any relevant legislation or professional council rules, "Reads.