Higher education institutes can now offer certificate, diploma and degree programmes in full-fledged online mode. The decision was taken by the University Grants Commission on Thursday.

The certificate, degree and diploma would be given only for those disciplines which the institute has been offering the similar programmes/ courses at graduation level in regular mode (of classroom teaching) or in Open and Distance Learning mode and from which atleast one batch has been graduated and approved by the statutory councils, as applicable.

However, online programs requiring practical/laboratory courses as curriculum requirement shall not be permitted.

The online learning shall have minimum four quadrants: video-lectures, e-content, self-assessments and discussion forum to clarify doubts.