Under-graduate and post-graduate students can now pursue two simultaneous academic programs, including full time degree courses.

Furthermore, this dual degree programme policy will be applicable for physical degrees, online degrees and even diploma programmes.

The University Grants Commision Chairman, M Jagadeesh Kumar, announced that the decision was taken in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP). The latest move aims to offer flexibility and personalisation of higher education. It will even allow multidisciplinary education across students. “Students can purse the degree/diploma courses from two different universities or under the same university,” he announced during a virtual interaction. With this decision, students will be able to pursue two UG or PG degrees /diplomas together in the physical and physical mode or physical and online mode or via online and online mode.

Kumar said, top universities of India have been given the choice to offer online degree courses and “fresh guidelines for the same will be notified in two weeks”.

The official list of UGC guidelines for pursuing two simultaneous degrees or academic programmes is expected to be uploaded on the UGC website soon.

Basic guidelines

As per the UGC’s latest announcement, the dual degree programmes will allow students to pursue two physical degrees, from two different universities or institutions at the same time.

However, one condition that has to be kept in mind for is the time schedule for classes and other academic activities for both degree programmes do not clash with each other. This means that if a student is pursuing B.Tech from IIT Delhi in the morning or regular session, he can opt for a BA in Sanskrit from Delhi University, provided it is offered in the evening session.

All academic programmes have minimum attendance requirements for students to be able to take the exams, universities will have to devise the attendance criteria for these courses. “UGC does not mandate any attendance requirements and these are the policies of the universities,” Kumar had said.

The admission policy for courses that will be offered for dual degree programmes, will be decided by the respective universities and institutions.

In the case of central universities, candidates will have to appear and qualify in CUET – Common University Entrance Test in order to seek admission to dual degree programmes. The university will have to frame its own academic ordinances based on the UGC guidelines on two degrees which will govern this arrangement.

Credit carry forward

The dual degree program will allow students to carry credits across degrees if they fulfil the basic requirements. However, when it comes to degree programmes, candidates will be required to earn and fulfil all credit requirements as specified by the university guidelines. No concession in credit requirements will be offered as part of the Dual Degree Programmes.

According to the details shared by the UGC, students are provided flexibility in choosing the Dual Degree Courses so they can two degrees either at the undergraduate level or at postgraduate level. So one cannot pursue one Undergraduate and one Postgraduate degree as part of the UGC’s Dual Degree Programme.

“The student can choose two different undergraduate courses or two different postgraduate programmes. If a student is studying only one undergraduate programme, they will not be eligible for a PG course,” Kumar clarified during the press conference.

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