Prof. M Jagadesh Kumar, Chairperson of the University Grants Commission (UGC), recently discussed with Education Times the UGC’s new monitoring strategy aimed at reducing the risk of students enrolling in unrecognized institutions or programmes, particularly in the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and Online education sectors.
Why the New Registration Process?
Prof. Kumar emphasized the need for students to enroll only in recognized Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) offering approved ODL and Online programmes. To achieve this, the UGC has introduced a mandatory registration process on the UGC’s Distance Education Bureau (UGC-DEB) web portal at deb.ugc.ac.in. This process requires students to create a unique DEB-ID using their Academic Bank of Credit (ABC)-ID, ensuring that students can only enroll in approved programmes. This new system enhances transparency in the admissions process and helps prevent students from inadvertently enrolling in unrecognized programmes.
How the DEB-ID System Works
The process begins with students creating an ABC-ID through their Digilocker account, which is then used to register on the UGC-DEB portal. The portal retrieves the student’s basic details, collects additional information about the chosen mode of learning, and generates the DEB-ID. Universities then verify the DEB-ID during the admission process to ensure that students are only enrolled in recognized programmes.
Exception for Foreign Learners
Prof. Kumar noted that the DEB-ID is currently not mandatory for foreign learners, as the ABC-ID system is based on Aadhaar, which foreign students do not possess. However, alternative methods for creating ABC-IDs for foreign students are being explored.
Combating Unrecognized Programmes
The UGC has taken action in the past to address issues of HEIs admitting students into unrecognized ODL/Online programmes. However, with the digital environment’s growth, traditional monitoring methods have become insufficient. The DEB-ID system is designed to preemptively address these challenges by ensuring that students only enroll in approved programmes.
Ensuring Compliance
Students are advised to verify the recognition status of HEIs and their programmes through the UGC-DEB website, check institutional information for curriculum and accreditation, and obtain a DEB-ID before enrolling in any programme. The UGC (ODL Programs and Online Programs) Regulations, 2020, provide clear guidelines for maintaining the quality of ODL and Online programmes, which include standards for curriculum, faculty qualifications, infrastructure, and student support services.
Implementation by HEIs
Prof. Kumar urged HEIs to ensure that their staff are well-informed about the UGC regulations and the new DEB-ID system. Institutions should also integrate the necessary API systems with the UGC-DEB portal to streamline the verification of DEB-IDs during admissions. By doing so, HEIs can ensure compliance with UGC standards and help maintain the integrity of the distance and online education system.
This new monitoring strategy by the UGC aims to safeguard students’ educational futures by ensuring that only recognized and quality programmes are available for enrollment.
