No healthcare, allied courses to be offered online from July 2025
Institutions that already received recognition to offer these programmes in online or ODL mode will have it withdrawn.HEIs have also been instructed not to admit any new students into these courses from the 2025-26 session onwards. In multi-specialisation degrees, only healthcare-related components will be affected.For example, a Bachelor of Arts programme with multiple majors including Psychology will see only the Psychology stream removed from ODL or online delivery.STRICTER OVERSIGHT ON FOREIGN COLLABORATIONS AND UNRECOGNISED COURSESThe UGC's directive comes amid growing concern over unrecognised collaborations with foreign educational providers.The higher education regulator has reiterated that degrees or diplomas awarded through such unapproved arrangements will be invalid in India.Institutions entering into partnerships without explicit UGC approval under the 2022 and 2023 joint and dual-degree frameworks will have their programmes deemed unrecognised.This notice builds on an earlier advisory from December 12, 2023, which warned HEIs against unauthorised tie-ups with foreign institutions.Despite repeated guidance, several colleges and EdTech platforms continued offering online or joint programmes with foreign partners lacking UGC recognition.Legal and academic experts say the move is aimed at safeguarding students from enrolling in courses that may not be valid for employment or further studies.The decision also reinforces the UGC's oversight of the growing online education sector, particularly in healthcare and allied disciplines where professional recognition is critical.By pulling online healthcare programmes from ODL delivery, the UGC is signalling stricter compliance requirements for HEIs and foreign collaborations. Students and institutions alike are being urged to align with the regulations to avoid invalid degrees and potential legal complications.- Ends
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Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
UGC bans open and distance learning in healthcare, allied courses from current academic year
MUMBAI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed all higher education institutions (HEIs) to stop offering programmes in healthcare and allied disciplines through Open and Distance Learning (ODL) or online mode from the July-August 2025 academic session. The order follows the recommendations of the 24th Distance Education Bureau Working Group meeting that was held on April 22 this year and was approved at the UGC's 592nd meeting on July 23. Representative pic (Getty Images/iStockphoto) The ban applies to courses under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021. These include Psychology, Microbiology, Food and Nutrition Science, Biotechnology, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics. According to the circular, institutions that already have the recognition to run these programmes will see it withdrawn by UGC. Colleges and universities have also been instructed not to admit students to such programmes from the 2025-26 academic session onwards. In cases where a programme offers multiple specialisations, such as a bachelor's degree in arts with majors in English, Hindi, History, Political Science, Philosophy, Sociology or Psychology, only the healthcare-related specialisation will be discontinued. Other non-healthcare subjects under the same degree will remain unaffected. The decision comes amid concerns over quality standards in professional training. Former Professor and head of the Psychology Department of the University of Mumbai, Satishchandra, said, 'The demand for psychology has gone up in recent years, leading to many private and public institutions offering it. But in several parts of the country, they have failed to maintain the quality of education. This decision will help check such practices.' Supporting the move, Vivek Belhekar, head of the Psychology Department at the MU, said, 'This is a welcome step that will benefit society at large. Clinical psychology requires rigorous practical training. As per the guidelines of the Rehabilitation Council of India, we need a 2:1 student-teacher ratio. Such training is not possible in the distance learning mode.' However, he also pointed to the challenge of limited seats available across the country. 'Considering the rising demand for clinical psychology, the UGC or the apex body must come up with a solution that allows public universities to expand opportunities, possibly through a structured online model,' he added.
India Today
a day ago
- India Today
No healthcare, allied courses to be offered online from July 2025
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a directive to higher education institutions (HEIs) to discontinue offering healthcare and allied programmes under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021, through Open and Distance Learning (ODL) or online mode. The ban will take effect from the 2025-26 academic session, starting BANS ONLINE AND ODL HEALTHCARE PROGRAMMES FROM 2025-26The decision follows recommendations from the 24th Distance Education Bureau Working Group meeting held in April 2025 and was formalised during the UGC's 592nd meeting on July 23, ban targets specialisations such as Psychology, Microbiology, Food and Nutrition Science, Biotechnology, Clinical Nutrition, and Dietetics. Institutions that already received recognition to offer these programmes in online or ODL mode will have it have also been instructed not to admit any new students into these courses from the 2025-26 session onwards. In multi-specialisation degrees, only healthcare-related components will be example, a Bachelor of Arts programme with multiple majors including Psychology will see only the Psychology stream removed from ODL or online OVERSIGHT ON FOREIGN COLLABORATIONS AND UNRECOGNISED COURSESThe UGC's directive comes amid growing concern over unrecognised collaborations with foreign educational higher education regulator has reiterated that degrees or diplomas awarded through such unapproved arrangements will be invalid in entering into partnerships without explicit UGC approval under the 2022 and 2023 joint and dual-degree frameworks will have their programmes deemed notice builds on an earlier advisory from December 12, 2023, which warned HEIs against unauthorised tie-ups with foreign repeated guidance, several colleges and EdTech platforms continued offering online or joint programmes with foreign partners lacking UGC and academic experts say the move is aimed at safeguarding students from enrolling in courses that may not be valid for employment or further decision also reinforces the UGC's oversight of the growing online education sector, particularly in healthcare and allied disciplines where professional recognition is pulling online healthcare programmes from ODL delivery, the UGC is signalling stricter compliance requirements for HEIs and foreign collaborations. Students and institutions alike are being urged to align with the regulations to avoid invalid degrees and potential legal complications.- Ends
NDTV
2 days ago
- NDTV
Universities Directed Not To Offer Healthcare, Allied Courses In Online Mode
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to stop offering allied and healthcare programmes covered under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021, including Psychology as a specialisation, through Open and Distance Learning (ODL) or online mode from the July-August 2025 academic session. According to the directive, any recognition already granted to HEIs for running such programmes in the July-August 2025 session or later will be withdrawn. In cases where programmes have multiple specialisations - such as Bachelor of Arts courses in subjects including English, Hindi, Economics, Political Science, Sociology, and others - only the specialisations covered under the NCAHP Act, 2021, will be discontinued. The UGC has instructed that no new admissions be made to the affected programmes from the upcoming session. All stakeholders have been urged to take note of and adhere to the decision.
