What to look for before choosing an Online University
What is an Online Degree Program?
Online education and Open & Distance Learning (ODL) programs are general terms for obtaining an education while staying at home or working. Applicants can benefit from numerous advantages of online degree programs.
Online education and the Open and Distance Learning system were introduced decades ago and continue to evolve and bring forth new innovations. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University was the first Open University in India, established in 1982, and IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University) introduced the concept of Open Learning in 1985.
At first glance, online and ODL programs are not the same. In the past, distance universities used to teach prospective students via email.
However, not every institute/university can offer you online education and Open & Distance Learning (ODL) as the institute/university has to get accreditation.
What is UGC and DEB Approval?
University of Grants Commission (UGC)
The University Grants Commission (UGC) is a state legislative body established in 1956 under the UGC Act. The UGC strives to keep the standard of Indian higher education high. In addition, the University Grants Commission (UGC) is part of the Ministry of Education.
Consequently, colleges or institutes must obtain approval from the UGC before offering graduate courses to students.
Distance Education Bureau (DEB)
The Office of Distance Education – DEB – is a separate entity from the University Grants Commission. Therefore, the DEB for Distance Education and Open Education was established to maintain its standard in the delivery of distance education. The Distance Education Bureau was created in 2012 after the Distance Education Council (DEC) was established.
As a result, universities offering distance or open education courses must be recognized by the DEB; otherwise, their distance education courses would not be accepted for employment or higher education by the Indian government.
Why is UGC and DEB important for Online Degree/Program Course?
The main mission of UGC-DEB and AICTE is to prevent the growth of bogus or illegal institutes in the country and to provide quality distance education to students. With the increasing popularity of distance education, many new universities have emerged to offer distance education programs. However, not all distance universities offer quality distance education services.
Therefore, universities wishing to offer distance education to their students must be approved by the UGC-DEB. It is the responsibility of distance universities to adhere to the standards of higher education in the delivery of distance education.
In addition, the UGC-DEB conducts a thorough investigation before approving distance universities to offer distance education. This examines a distant university’s infrastructure, faculty, curriculum, staff, and administrative standards.
For students who want to enroll in a bogus or illegal university and pursue higher education, this is beneficial. Therefore, if students want their online degree to be recognized, they must apply only to UGC-DEB-certified institutions or colleges.
There are many universities, but only a few are accredited by the UGC and DEB, and only accredited universities can award real degrees to students. Choosing an accredited institution is crucial for a student’s career because it distinguishes between bogus and verified universities.
View More Courses:-
- Online Distance BA
- Online Distance B.Com
- Online Distance BBA
- Online Distance BCA
- Online Distance BSW
- Online Distance B.Sc
- Online Distance BLIS
- Online Distance MA
- Online Distance M.Com
- Online Distance MCA
- Online Distance MLIS
- Online Distance MSW
- To Wrap Up
After learning about the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Distance Education Bureau (DEB), you will be able to make an informed choice when selecting a distance education university. Find out about the functions of these institutions and their importance.
This way, when looking for a distance learning university for online degree programs, you can be sure that the university is accredited by the UGC-DEB. You can also advise other students to check the UGC-DEB approval of the university before applying for admission.
