New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) is rolling out a new enrollment process for students to join open and distance learning (ODL) and online programs in this academic year.
Under the new system, students seeking to enrol in ODL and online programs must first register on the UGC’s Distance Education Bureau (UGC-DEB) web portals – deb.ugc.ac.in and deb.ugc.ac.in/StudentDebId using their Academic Bank of Credit (ABC)-ID to create a unique DEB-ID, explained UGC chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar.
“All students, except foreign learners, enrolling in recognized ODL/Online programs must have this DEB-ID, which will be valid for a lifetime. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are encouraged to adopt and promote this new admission process to ensure its successful implementation,” added the UGC Chairman. Once issued, the DEB-ID will be valid for lifelong learning through ODL/Online on the UGC-DEB web portal.
This initiative, effective from September 2024, aims to ensure students enrol only in approved HEIs that offer ODL and online programs, enhancing transparency in the admissions process, stated Mamidala.
The Chairman also reminded that the UGC (ODL Programs and Online Programs) Regulations, 2020, establish the minimum standards for these programs, with a list of recognized institutions available on the UGC Distance Education Bureau website.
This move towards a standardized admission process follows recent issues with unrecognized institutions enrolling students.
“The Commission recently became aware that some HEIs were enrolling students in unrecognized ODL/Online programs, jeopardizing their futures. To prevent such incidents and increase admission transparency in ODL and Online modes, the Commission decided in its 581st meeting on 25th June 2024 to standardize the admission procedure for students,” the Chairman reported.
