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Studentscannowpursuetwodegreecoursesatsametime
AnubhutiVishnoiPostedonline:WedAug142013,00:52hrs

NewDelhi:TheUniversityGrantsCommissionhasfinallygiventhegoaheadtostudentstopursuetwodegree
programmessimultaneously.
Givingintolongstandingdemandsfromuniversitiesandstudents,theapexhighereducationregulator,ata
meetingonJuly31,decidedtoacceptitsexpertpanelsrecommendationsonpermittingpursuitofanadditional
degreeprogramme.
Thiswillallowstudentsenrolledinaregularfulltimedegreeprogrammetopursueonemoreadditionaldegree
programmesimultaneouslyonopen/distancelearningmodefromthesameuniversityoranotherinstitution.A
studentpursuingaregulardegreewillalsobeallowedtopursueanadditionalcertificate/diploma/advanced
diploma/PGdiplomaprogrammesimultaneouslyeitherinregularoropen/distancemodefromthesameuniversity
oranotherinstitution.
TheUGCexpertpanelheadedbyDrFurqanQamar,ViceChancellor,CentralUniversityofHyderabad,hadmade
theserecommendationsinviewofthechangingscenarioandflexibleguidelines.Sayingthatmorechoicesto
thestudentsneedtobegiven,thepanelwasoftheviewthatjointdegreeprogrammesneedtobeencouraged
bytheUGC.
UGCChairmanProfVedPrakashsaidtheideawastoallownewopportunitiestostudentswhowishtoexpand
theirskillsetandhavethewilltostretchthemselvesbeyondtheircomfortzones.Universitieshavebeenasked
tomodifytheirordinancestofacilitatethejointdegreeprogrammes.
Currently,nostudentinIndiacanlegallypursuemorethanonedegreesimultaneouslyeitherfromthesame
institutionorfromanyotherinstitution.Therestrictionisapplicableirrespectiveofthemodeofpursuingdegrees
open/distancelearning/parttime/privateorfulltime.Toensurecompliance,studentsarerequiredtosubmitin
theoriginalthemigrationcertificateissuedbythepreviousinstitute.
Whiletherehasbeenalotofinteresttopursuetwoormoredegreeprogrammessimultaneouslytohelpstudents
improvetheirknowledge,skillandemployability,thepresentUGCguidelinesaresilentaboutthepursuitofa
certificate/diplomacoursealongsideadegreeprogramme.