NAAC Accreditation Mandatory for Offering Distance & Open Learning Courses
- UGC made NAAC accreditation mandatory for higher education institutes to offer distance learning courses.
- The mandatory NAAC accreditation rule is also applicable to open universities.
As per the latest decision of UGC, NAAC accreditation is mandatory for higher learning institutes to offer distance and open learning courses. In the position of higher education regulator, UGC has invited applications from the eligible higher learning/education institutes for recognition of distance learning courses offered by them for the academic session 2018-19. However, the amended regulation of UGC made NAAC accreditation/grade mandatory for the approval of distance learning courses.
The institutes that had already submitted applications for the approval of distance learning courses will have to submit a fresh application specifying all the details pertaining to NAAC accreditation. Higher education institutes that have CGPA of 3.26 and have completed five years of existence are eligible to apply for the approval of distance learning courses.
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At present, the new clause is not applicable for open universities until they become eligible for NAAC accreditation. However, it will be mandatory for the open universities to seek NAAC accreditation or rating within one year after becoming eligible for the same.
The amended rule of UGC will not have an immediate effect on higher education institutes that were given approval by UGC to offer distance and open learning courses for the academic session 2017-18. However, these institutes will also have to apply for NAAC accreditation within three months from the upcoming academic session.
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The detailed guidelines on the same are available on the official website of UGC.
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