Date:14/06/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/06/14/stories/2004061410100400.htm

New Delhi

UGC decision on degree recognition hailed

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JUNE 13. The Chairman of the Distance Education Council, H.P. Dikshit, today described as "futuristic'' the decision of the University Grants Commission to recognise degrees and diplomas as well as transfer of credit for courses successfully completed by students between conventional and open universities.

Stating that the move will greatly facilitate mobility of students from Open University stream to traditional Universities and vice-versa without any difficulty, he said in a communication issued recently by the UGC it has been clarified that all the degrees, diplomas and certificates being awarded by Open Universities in India are recognised.

The letter, a press note issued by IGNOU said, has been sent to all the Open Universities of India, which have all been established in the country by an Act of Parliament or State Legislature in accordance with the provisions contained in Section 2(f) of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956. These universities are, therefore, empowered to award degrees in terms of Section 22(1) of the UGC Act, 1956.

The note said earlier vide a UGC letter N.F. 1-8/92 (CPP) dated February 1992, the certificate, diplomas and degrees awarded only by Indira Gandhi National Open University were to be treated equivalent to the corresponding awards of the universities of the country.