Prior approval from the University Grants Commission (UGC) is now mandatory for Universities to offer Open and Distance Learning courses.

“Universities may offer courses in the Open and Distance Learning mode, with approval of the Commission, provided it satisfies all the conditions laid down under the regulations, by whatever name they are called, pertaining to open and distance learning mode notified by the UGC from time to time,” the commission said.

At the 562th meeting of the commission held on October 28, amendments to the exiting regulations were approved and these were published in the Gazette of India on November 18, it added.

As per previous rules, universities were allowed to offer Open and Distance Learning programmes without prior approval of the commission, provided they satisfy “all the conditions laid down under the regulations, by whatever name they are called, pertaining to open and distance learning mode notified by the UGC from time to time.”

The principal regulations were published in the Gazette of lndia in February, 2018.