UGC prohibits open and distance learning in medical, allied courses from ongoing academic year

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has instructed all higher education institutions (HEIs) to discontinue the offering of programmes in healthcare and allied fields through Open and Distance Learning (ODL) or online mode from the July-August 2025 academic session. The directive is a follow-up to the suggestion made by the 24th Distance Education Bureau Working Group meeting that was convened on April 22 this year and passed during the UGC's 592nd meeting on July 23.

The prohibition is effective on courses under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021. These include Microbiology, Psychology, Food and Nutrition Science, Biotechnology, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics.

As per the circular, institutions already having the approval to operate these programmes will have it withdrawn by UGC. Universities and colleges have also been directed to not take in students into these programmes from the academic session of 2025-26.

Where a programme has more than one specialisation, like a bachelor's in arts with majors in English, Hindi, History, Political Science, Philosophy, Sociology or Psychology, only the healthcare specialisation will be phased out. Other non-healthcare topics under the same degree will not be affected.

The decision comes amid concerns over quality standards in professional training. Former Professor and head of the Psychology Department of the University of Mumbai, Satishchandra, said, “The demand for psychology has gone up in recent years, leading to many private and public institutions offering it. But in several parts of the country, they have failed to maintain the quality of education. This decision will help check such practices.”

Welcoming the move, Vivek Belhekar, who heads the Psychology Department in the MU, said, "This is a step in the right direction and will benefit society as a whole. Clinical psychology needs intensive practical training. According to the guidelines of the Rehabilitation Council of India, we must have a 2:1 ratio between students and teachers. We cannot deliver such training in distance education mode.

But he also referred to the issue of there not being enough seats available nationwide. "Given the growing need for clinical psychology, the UGC or the top-most body needs to devise a plan which can enable public universities to increase opportunities, perhaps through a systematic online model," he said.