To enhance transparency in the admission process for Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and Online programs, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has introduced a new requirement for students. Starting from the academic session in October 2024, students wishing to enroll in these programs must first register on the UGC’s Distance Education Bureau (DEB) web portal at deb.ugc.ac.in. They will need to use their Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) ID to create a unique DEB ID, which will be mandatory for all students, except foreign learners, enrolling in recognized ODL and Online programs. This DEB ID, once generated, will remain valid for lifelong learning.
The UGC’s new initiative aims to ensure that students are admitted only to approved Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) offering recognized programs. “This new approach will reduce the risk of students enrolling in unapproved institutions or programs, thereby enhancing transparency in the admissions process,” said M Jagadesh Kumar, Chairperson of UGC.
Ensuring Quality and Curbing Malpractices
The new system will address concerns about students inadvertently enrolling in unrecognized courses, an issue that has persisted in the distance and online learning space. As digital platforms proliferate, traditional monitoring methods have proven inadequate. The UGC’s initiative is designed to pre-empt and prevent such occurrences by regulating low-quality, unapproved programs.
To promote the initiative, all HEIs involved in ODL and Online admissions are required to implement the new mechanism by integrating the necessary Application Programming Interfaces (API) and encouraging new learners to participate. While the DEB ID is not currently mandatory for foreign learners due to the lack of an Aadhaar-based ABC ID alternative, the UGC plans to introduce a similar system for them once a viable alternative is in place.
Standardizing the Admission Process
The decision to standardize the admission process was made during the UGC’s 581st meeting, in response to recent incidents where HEIs enrolled students in unrecognized programs. “The move will maintain a centralized student database, improve Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), ensure quality control of the programs, and facilitate credit transfers between universities,” said Prof US Pandey, Officer on Special Duty at the Campus of Open Learning, University of Delhi.
Strict Regulations for ODL and Online Programs
The UGC’s 2020 regulations for ODL and Online programs established strict standards for HEIs, which must now offer these programs only if they also provide them in regular mode. Additionally, institutions must have a Center for Online Education with dedicated staff and a minimum of 15,000 square feet of physical infrastructure. These stringent requirements are designed to discourage non-committed institutions from offering low-quality programs.
All institutions offering ODL and Online programs must adhere to a 4-quadrant approach to learning, maintain a Learning Management System (LMS), and meet specific requirements for faculty, attendance, examinations, fee refunds, and grievance handling. Furthermore, institutions must be accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with a minimum score of 3.01 on a 4-point scale or rank among the top 100 in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for two of the last three years.
“The new system is a step in the right direction,” said Raj Singh, spokesperson for JAIN Online and Vice-Chancellor of JAIN (Deemed-to-be University). The initiative is expected to curb malpractices and ensure that students receive a high-quality education in recognized programs.
