Students might soon be able to pursue multiple degrees simultaneously from different universities or the same university, with the University Grants Commission (UGC) studying the feasibility of the idea.
The UGC has set up a panel headed by its Vice ChairmanBhushan Patwardhan to examine the issue of pursuing two degree programmessimultaneously from the same university or different universities eitherthrough distance mode, online mode or part time mode.
However, this is not the first time the commission isexamining the issue. The UGC had set up a committee in 2012 as well andconsultations were held on the same but ultimately the idea was junked.
“The panel was set up late last month and has alreadymet once. Now consultations are being held with different stakeholders toexplore the feasibility of the idea,” a senior UGC official told PTI.
The 2012 committee headed by then Vice Chancellor ofHyderabad University, Furqan Qamar, had recommended that a student enrolled ina degree programme under regular mode may be allowed to pursue a maximum of oneadditional degree programme simultaneously under open or distance mode from thesame or a different university.
“However, two degree programmes under regular mode maynot be allowed simultaneously as it may create logistic, administrative andacademic problems. A student pursuing a degree programme under regular mode maybe allowed to pursue a maximum of one certificate, diploma, advanced diploma,PG diploma programme simultaneously either in regular or open and distance modein the same university or from other institutions,” the panel report hadsaid.
According to UGC officials, “the commission had thensought comments of the statutory councils on the committee’s report and theresponses received did not endorse the idea of allowing students to pursuemultiple degree programmes simultaneously. Hence the plan did not takeoff”.”It has now been decided to revisit theidea because technology has brought in lot of changes. There are vast majorityof people who want to pursue specialised courses besides their regular degreeprogrammes,” the official said.