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Is this online or distance degree valid?

An online or distance (ODL) degree from an Indian university counts only if UGC's Distance Education Bureau (UGC-DEB) lists that university and that programme, in that mode, for the academic year you join. Look it up below, then confirm on deb.ugc.ac.in.

The list and its date. UGC-DEB's "Recognised Programmes" table as Shishya read it on 26 Oct 2026: 14,035 rows, academic years 2020-21 to 2026-27, 339 university names (209 with programmes listed for 2026-27). 30 rows in the list have no university name, so they are not shown here.

The list can change after that day. Before you pay a fee, confirm on deb.ugc.ac.in ↗ for the session you are joining — UGC's FAQ says a university's status for one year says nothing about the next.

Check it yourself on deb.ugc.ac.in

  1. Open deb.ugc.ac.in and find "Recognised Programmes" in the menu. It has two parts: OL (online) and ODL (open and distance learning).
  2. Pick the part for your mode — an online degree and a distance degree are listed separately.
  3. Find the university, then the academic year and session you will join (for example 2026-27, July session).
  4. Find your exact programme in that row set. If the programme or the year is missing, ask the university in writing before paying.

What UGC's FAQ says (read 26 Oct 2026)

  • A degree earned in a recognised online or ODL programme is treated as equal to the same degree earned in a regular college (Regulation 22 of the 2020 regulations).
  • If you were admitted while the programme was recognised, your admission stays recognised until you finish — provided the university followed UGC's rules, including its area limits.
  • Some subjects may not be taught online or by distance at all: engineering, medicine, dental, pharmacy, nursing, physiotherapy and other para-medical subjects, architecture, law, agriculture, horticulture, hotel management, catering, culinary science, aircraft maintenance, visual arts and sports — and M.Phil and PhD. An online or ODL degree in these is not allowed.
  • A university may not run its online or ODL programmes through a franchise or a private service provider, and admission to a programme offered "in association with" one is not allowed.
  • For ODL, a university must hold admissions, contact classes and exams inside its own permitted area (for a state or private university, its own state). Online programmes may enrol learners from anywhere.
  • IITs, IIMs, IISc and other Institutes of National Importance are outside UGC, so they are not in this list.

Source: UGC-DEB FAQs ↗, in Shishya's own words. The FAQ and the regulations are the final word.

Every university in the list, A to Z (339)

Names are as the list writes them; one university can appear under two spellings.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

U

V

Y

Shishya is not part of UGC and has no tie-up with any university or course platform. Data: UGC-DEB, Recognised Programmes, read 26 Oct 2026.