How to pursue two degrees at same time? Check UGC guidelines and get full information

New Delhi, Apr 13: The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Wednesday notified guidelines for pursuing two academic programmes simultaneously in physical, online or distance learning mode.

UGC chairman M Jagadesh Kumar on Tuesday announced that the commission has decided to allow students to pursue two full-time and same-level degree programmes in physical mode simultaneously either at the same university or from different universities.

Here are the Objective and Full Guidelines Issued by the UGC:

To allow the students to pursue two academic programmes simultaneously keeping in view the following objectives envisaged in NEP 2020:

• Recognizing, identifying, and fostering the unique capabilities of each student, by sensitizing teachers as well as parents to promote each student's holistic development in both academic and non-academic spheres;

• No hard separations between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra­curricular activities, between vocational and academic streams, etc. in order to eliminate harmful hierarchies among, and silos between different areas of learning;

• Multidisciplinarity and a holistic education across the sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, and sports for a multidisciplinary world in order to ensure the unity and integrity of all knowledge;

• Enabling an individual to study one or more specialized areas of interest at a deep level, and also develop character, ethical and constitutional values, intellectual curiosity, scientific temper, creativity, spirit of service.

• Offering the students, a range of disciplines including sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, languages, as well as professional, technical, and vocational subjects to make them thoughtful, well-rounded, and creative individuals.

• Preparing students for more meaningful and satisfying lives and work roles and enable economic independence.

Guidelines:

• A student can pursue two full time academic programmes in physical mode provided that in such cases, class timings for one programme do not overlap with the class timings of the other programme.

• A student can pursue two academic programmes, one in full time physical mode and another in Open and Distance Learning (ODL)/Online mode; or up to two ODL/Online programmes simultaneously.

• Degree or diploma programmes under ODL/Online mode shall be pursued with only such HEIs which are recognized by UGC/Statutory Council/Govt. of India for running such programmes.

• Degree or diploma programmes under these guidelines shall be governed by the Regulations notified by the UGC and also the respective statutory/professional councils, wherever applicable.

• These guidelines shall come into effect from the date of their notification by the UGC. No retrospective benefit can be claimed by the students who have already done two academic programmes simultaneously prior to the notification of these guidelines.

The above guidelines shall be applicable only to the students pursuing academic programmes other than Ph.D. programme.

Based on the above guidelines, the universities can devise mechanisms, through their statutory bodies, for allowing their students to pursue two academic programmes simultaneously as mentioned above.