The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released a notification calling for online applications from Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to provide Open and Distance Learning (ODL) courses and/or Online programmes for the 2025-26 academic year. This call for applications is specifically for the July-August 2025 academic session. The UGC has launched an online application portal from March 13, 2025, and it will be open until April 3, 2025. Institutions intending to apply must send a hard copy of the application together with original affidavits and annexures by April 15, 2025, to the Joint Secretary at the Distance Education Bureau, UGC, 35 Feroze Shah Road, New Delhi – 110001.

This call for applications is an important move by the UGC to enhance the availability of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and online programmes across Indian higher education institutions. The UGC’s notification emphasizes that the application process is subject to the scrutiny of each HEI’s eligibility based on the standards outlined in the UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020, and any amendments made thereafter. The mere submission of an application is not a guarantee of approval. The institutions will be approved if they meet the stipulated criteria and standards as laid down by the UGC.

The UGC has called for new applications from qualified HEIs under Regulation 3(A) and Regulation 3(B)(b) of the UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020, as amended. Institutions are invited to apply for recognition of programmes under the ODL mode or online mode for the academic year 2025-26 and onwards, i.e., for the session commencing in July-August 2025.

This offer is available throughout the year when HEIs may apply for presenting online programmes and Category-I HEIs may apply for presenting ODL programmes. Interested HEIs may visit the application portal of the Distance Education Bureau (DEB) at deb.ugc.ac.in for further information and updates about the application procedure.

The UGC notification emphasizes that the process of application is meant to filter out only such HEIs that have the required standards of quality to provide ODL and online courses. This follows the UGC objective of furthering higher education that is accessible, flexible, and of high academic quality. The regulations made by the UGC for ODL and online programmes are aimed at making institutions offering such programmes commit to certain quality norms that assure the integrity and value of the offered education.

One of the major features of the UGC’s policy is placing strong emphasis on the credibility and quality of distance and online education. This process of scrutiny is essential to verify that the institutions providing such programs possess the requisite infrastructure, faculty, and resources to deliver quality education. The regulations aim at sustaining high standards in the delivery of the curriculum as well as the support to learners, which are a prerequisite for the success of ODL and online education.

The guidelines of the UGC also provide for the necessary arrangements to ensure that institutions conducting these programmes ensure that students have the necessary academic inputs, such as study materials, mentorship, and access to teachers. The guidelines also emphasize proper use of technology in imparting online education. Institutions need to ensure that they utilize appropriate platforms for teaching, learning, and assessment, which are essential to sustain the quality of education in a digital or distance learning system.

Additionally, the UGC regulations state that HEIs need to provide end-to-end learner support systems for students in their academic pursuit. This encompasses access to virtual classrooms, libraries, and counseling, among other kinds of academic and emotional support. The regulations also mandate that institutions providing ODL and online programmes follow transparent examination and assessment practices to maintain fairness and credibility.

As the trend of higher education in India also keeps changing, the UGC’s emphasis on increasing access to quality education with ODL and online courses is a major breakthrough in making quality education accessible to more people. This is one step in tandem with the universal trend of the digitalization of education and greater learning opportunities that go beyond class rooms. It is very helpful for learners who might not be able to access physical lessons because of geographical, economic, or personal factors.

But institutions that would like to run such programmes need to realize that only those who possess the requisite capability and infrastructure will be allowed to do so by the UGC’s stringent vetting process. The mechanism is meant to protect the interest of the students and preserve the value and authenticity of the degrees conferred through these programmes.

In conclusion, the UGC’s call for applications from HEIs to provide Open and Distance Learning programmes and Online courses is a significant step towards increasing the outreach of higher education in India. Although the application window is open for a considerable duration, it is essential that institutions go through the UGC’s guidelines meticulously and ensure compliance with the set standards. This effort, when realized in its full potential, would be instrumental in determining the destiny of higher education in India to become more inclusive, flexible, and responsive to the demands of a heterogeneous population of students.