The University Grants Commission (UGC) has called on higher education institutions (HEIs) to implement guidelines to allow students to enroll in two university courses simultaneously.

In a letter dated November 20, 2024, Prof. Manish R Joshi, Secretary, UGC, highlighted the challenges faced by students due to higher education institutions requiring migration or completion certificates studies upon admission. “This requirement prevents students from pursuing duplicate programmes, which defeats the purpose of the guidelines,” Prof Joshi said. Despite two years since the guidelines were published and multiple reminders, many universities are still not complying with them.

Key provisions of the guidelines

• Students may take two courses full-time if course schedules do not overlap.
• Dual enrollment is permitted in one physical full-time course and another through Open and Distance Learning (ODL) or online mode.
• Only UGC recognized institutions can offer degree or diploma programs in ODL/online modes.
• These guidelines exclude doctoral programs and apply prospectively from the date of notification.

Objectives of dual registration

• The initiative aims to promote multidisciplinary education, eliminate rigid barriers between subjects and promote holistic development.
• Students can explore specialist areas alongside character building, ethical values ​​and intellectual curiosity.
• The guidelines also aim to prepare individuals for fulfilling careers while enabling economic independence.
• The UGC call highlights the importance of compliance by higher education institutions to ensure that students benefit from this transformative education policy.