UGC to let 900 autonomous colleges offer online degrees

What is the news?

University Grants Commission(UGC) will be releasing a framework that will allow 900 additional colleges to provide online degree courses to students.

Note: Presently, only Universities are allowed to offer remote degrees via online courses.

What will be the key features of this new framework by UGC?

Firstly, around 900 autonomous colleges securing top 100 ranks in their respective subject category twice in the preceding three rankings of National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) or having National Assessment and Accreditation Council(NAAC) grade of minimum 3.26 will be allowed to provide online degree courses.

Secondly, eligibility for admission to these online undergraduate degree programmes will be simply “senior secondary pass”.Similarly, for admission to online postgraduate degree programmes, the eligibility will be “pass” in the relevant undergraduate course.

Thirdly, these colleges will be allowed to teach courses in emerging areas that may not be possible in in-person mode. 

Fourthly, all online degrees will also have the flexibility of conventional programmes in accordance with National Education Policy(NEP) 2020 — such as the four-year undergraduate programme with multiple entry and exit facilities.

What is the significance of this new framework?

This framework will help the government achieve a 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by 2035 in alignment with the National Education Policy(NEP) 2020. (In 2019-20, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) was at 27.1% for the 18-23 age group).

This will also enable all the autonomous colleges to offer online education because if we stick to only universities, it becomes limited

Source: This post is based on the article “UGC to let 900 autonomous colleges offer online degrees” published in TOI on 21st February 2022.