UGC allows central, state, private universities to start ODL, online courses without AICTE approval

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) said central, state and private universities will not require prior approval from the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), along with their application to UGC, for offering undergraduate (UG), postgraduate and PG diploma programmes in management, computer application and, travel and tourism in open distance learning and/or online mode.

However, deemed to be universities will require AICTE’s approval or no-objection certificate (NOC) for offering such programmes in ODL and/or online mode. The commission added that central, state and private universities can only start courses mentioned in provision 2 of UGC (ODL Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020, following the approval, recommendation , or no-objection certificate from AICTE.

The decision was taken by the UGC in its 578th meeting. The commission discussed the letter received from AICTE regarding granting approval or recommendations to the state and private universities offering professional programmes in technical and management education in ODL/OL mode.

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"The commission considered the communication received from AICTE stating that as per Supreme Court judgement in Bharathidasan University vs AICTE and others, it is not mandatory for the state and private universities to take AICTE approval to run technical programmes,” the UGC said.

After detailed deliberations, the commission decided that for universities whether state or central or private, prior approval, recommendation, NOC of AICTE shall not be required, as per UGC (ODL Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020 for offering programmes in ODL and/or Online mode, the UGC added.