UGC Lifts AICTE Approval Requirement for ODL, Online Courses: What Universities Need to Know

In a significant development, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a public notice, altering the regulations concerning the approval process for offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and PG diploma programs in open distance learning (ODL) or online mode. As per the notice, central, state, and private universities are no longer required to seek prior approval from the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) when applying to the UGC for launching such programs.

The official notification explicitly states, "Central, State, and Private Universities shall not require prior approval/recommendation/NOC from AICTE along with their application to UGC for offering of Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and Postgraduate diploma programmes under the disciplines of Management, Computer Application, and Travel and Tourism in ODL and/or Online mode."

This decision by the UGC comes following its 578th meeting, during which it deliberated on a letter received from the AICTE. The correspondence pertained to the approval or recommendations required for state and private universities intending to offer professional programs in technical and management education through open and distance learning (ODL/OL) mode.

Despite the revised guidelines, institutions holding the status of 'deemed-to-be-university' will still need AICTE approval or a no-objection certificate (NOC) to offer such programs in ODL and/or online mode. The UGC has further clarified that central, state, and private universities can only initiate courses listed in Section 2 of the UGC (ODL Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020, after obtaining approval, recommendation, or a no-objection certificate from AICTE.

This decision marks a significant shift in the regulatory landscape, aiming to streamline the process and promote accessibility to quality higher education through innovative modes of learning.