UGC Entitled vs UGC Recognised Online Degree: What Students Should Know?

UGC Entitled vs UGC Recognised Online Degree: What Students Should Know?

#MBA
Lankalapalli HarshaUpdated on 13 Sep 2025, 12:43 PM IST

Online learning has significantly transformed higher education across India and abroad. It offers unprecedented flexibility and access, allowing students to pursue online degrees from top institutions without leaving home. Accredited online degree programmes have created new possibilities for working professionals and learners in remote areas.

This Story also Contains

  1. UGC Recognised Online Degree
  2. UGC Entitled Online Degree
  3. What are UGC Guidelines for Online Programmes?
  4. How To Verify Status of Universities Offering Online Programmes
  5. Why The Status Matters?
UGC Entitled vs UGC Recognised Online Degree: What Students Should Know?
UGC Entitled vs UGC Recognised Online Degree

At the same time, many applicants encounter confusing terms like UGC Recognised online degree and UGC Entitled online degree when researching their options. Though they sound similar, these terms mean very different things. A UGC recognised institution means a university is recognised by the UGC to offer any programmes including online programmes, whereas a UGC entitled institution is specifically recognised by UGC to offer online and distance education programmes.

Understanding this distinction is vital for anyone choosing to pursue an UGC approved online degree. Choosing wrongly could affect the chances of getting placed or further studies. It is essential to ensure the degree you invest in is fully recognised and carries enduring credibility.

UGC Recognised Online Degree

The University Grants Commission (UGC) is responsible for maintaining standards of higher education, granting recognition to universities and ensuring that the degrees awarded are valid.

For online and distance education, UGC Distance Education Bureau (DEB) evaluates higher educational institutions (HEIs) to determine whether they are eligible to offer programmes beyond the traditional classroom model.

A UGC Recognised university is one that has been officially approved to operate as a higher education institution. This recognition guarantees that:

  • The university is authorised to award valid degrees.
  • It meets the minimum standards set by UGC.
  • Its degrees are accepted for jobs, higher studies, and national-level examinations.
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However, recognition alone does not give the right to offer online or distance programmes. Such universities must also primarily offer on-campus education.

UGC Recognised Universities for Online Programmes

As per the latest UGC notification, 13 higher educational institutions are recognised to offer online programmes for academic year 2025-26, session July-August 2025.

Institute Name

TypeNumber of Programmes

Programme Name

Period of Recognition

Assam Don Bosco University, Assam

Private

2

MBA, MCA

2025-26,

academic session

beginning from

July-August 2025

to 2029-30 (upto

January 2030

only)

Ganpat University, Gujarat

Private

3

BBA (General), MBA (General), MCA

2025-26 academic

session beginning

from July-August

2025 to 2029-30

(upto January

2030 only)

Manav Rachna International Institute Of Research And Studies, Haryana

Deemed-to-be-University

5

BCA, BBA, BA (Hons) Economics, BCom, MCom

2021-22 academic

session beginning

November, 2021

(revised from

July, 2021) to

2025-26 (upto

January, 2026)

only

The Northcap University, Haryana

Private

2

BCom, BBA

2023-24 academic

session beginning

July-August, 2023

to 2027-28 (up to

January, 2028

only)

Arka Jain University, Jharkhand

Private

2

BBA, MBA (General)

2024-25, academic

session beginning

from February, 2025

to 2029-30 (upto

July-August, 2029

only)

3

BCA, BCom (General), MCA

2025-26 academic

session beginning

from July-August,

2025 to 2029-30

(upto January 2030

only)

Jagannath University, Rajasthan

Private

1

BBA

2023-24

Academic session

beginning from

January-February,

2024 to 2028-29

(upto July, 2028

only)

4

BCom, BA (J&MC), MA (J&MC), MBA (General)

2024-25 academic session beginning from

October, 2024

(revised from

July-August, 2024

to 2028-29 (up to

January, 2029)

Academy Of Maritime Education And Training, Tamil Nadu

Deemed to be University

1

BCom

Academic year

2023-24,

academic session

beginning from

February, 2024 to

2028-29 (upto

July, 2028 only)

2

BBA, MBA (Shipping Logistics Management)

academic year

2025-26,

academic session

beginning

July-August, 2025

and February,

2026 only

G.L.A University, Uttar Pradesh

Private

2

BCom (Hons), BBA

2021-22 academic

session beginning

November, 2021

(revised from

July, 2021) to

2025-26 (upto

January, 2026)

only

Amity University, Uttar Pradesh

Private

6

BSW, BCom (General), BA (J&MC), MA Public Policy & Governance, MSW, MA (English)

2022-23 academic

session beginning

September, 2022

(revised from

July-August, 2022)

and onwards to

2026–27 (upto

January, 2027) only

Shobhit Institute Of Engineering & Technology, Uttar Pradesh

Private

4

BBA, BCA, MBA, MCA

Academic year

2025-26, academic

session beginning

July-August, 2025

and February, 2026

only

Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Uttar Pradesh

Private

5

BA (Hons) Jain Studies, BA (Hons) Sociology, BA (Hons) Political Science, BBA, MBA

2024-25, academic

session beginning

from February, 2025

to 2029-30 (upto

July-August, 2029

only)

Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Uttar Pradesh

Private

2

MA (Buddhist Studies), MBA (General)

2025-26

academic session

beginning from

July-August 2025

to 2029-30 (upto

JanuaryFebruary 2030

only

Jaypee Institute Of Information Technology, Uttar Pradesh

Deemed to be University

2

BBA, MBA

academic year

2025-26,

academic session

beginning

July-August,

2025 and

February, 2026

only.


Also Read: UGC Approved Online Degree Courses – List of Institutes, Eligibility, Fees And Duration

UGC Entitled Online Degree

A UGC Entitled degree goes beyond recognition. It means the higher educational institutions (HEIs) have received approval from UGC-DEB to offer full-fledged degrees in the online and distance learning mode.

This entitlement ensures that:

  • Online and distance programmes are considered equivalent to regular programmes.
  • The qualifications are valid for government and private jobs, as well as for further studies.
  • The university has met strict benchmarks for course design, infrastructure, examinations and student support.
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UGC Entitled Universities for Online Programmes

As per the latest UGC notification, 113 higher educational institutions (HIEs) are entitled to start full-fledged online programmes for academic year 2025-26, session July-August 2025.

Number of Institutes

TypeNumber of ProgrammesProgramme Name

113

State, Private, Deemed-to-be-University, Central University, State Open UNiversity

756

BCom, BA, BBA, BCA, BSc, MCom, MA, MBA, MCA, MSc, BLISc, MSW, MLISc


Also Read: 150+ UGC Approved Online Degree Courses by Top Universities

What are UGC Guidelines for Online Programmes?

As per the UGC guidelines, higher educational institutions (HEIs) are entitled to offer online programmes, till they are complying NAAC or NIRF ranking requirements as per Regulation 3(B)(a) of University Grants Commission (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2O2O and its amendments and on non-compliance, they shall discontinue the programmes and accordingly, inform the same to the UGC.

Eligibility Requirements

  • NAAC score should be 3.26 and above
  • Ranked in Top-100 in University category of NIRF, at least twice in three preceding cycles (at the time of application)
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How To Verify Status of Universities Offering Online Programmes

Before enrolling in any Open and Distance Learning (ODL) or Online programme, it is important for students to verify the recognition and entitlement status of the higher educational institutions (HEIs). UGC has issued clear guidelines for students to ensure their academic and career interests are protected.

Verify the Status

  • Recognition status of HEIs: Students must visit the UGC-DEB portal to verify if the institution is recognised to offer programmes through ODL or Online mode. UGC has listed the year-wise, academic session wise status of HEIs on the website.
  • Entitlement Status of HEIs: UGC has also listed HEIs entitled to offer programmes in ODL and Online mode on the UGC-DEB portal.

Create UGC DEB ID

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has also made it mandatory for students to create DEB-ID for enrolling in ODL and Online Programmes.

As per the UGC, students shall register on UGC-DEB webportal with his or her Academic Bank of Credit (ABC)-ID to generate a unique DEB-ID which will be mandatory to enroll in ODL or Online programmes in recognised/entitled HEIs from academic year 2024-25, academic session beginning October, 2024 (revised from July-August, 2024) and onwards.

Check How to Create UGC DEB ID for Admission to ODL and Online Programmes

Why The Status Matters?

The UGC recognition and UGC entitlement for institutions and online programmes is important to ensure the credibility and standard of the degree that students earn. These status also matter in terms of job prospects and further studies.

To make the status transparent, UGC has advised all HEIs that are recognised/entitled to offer ODL and/or Online programmes to upload details such as application (submitted to UGC), Affidavit, Statutory Body approval, Regulatory Authority Approval and additional information on their website. This significantly helps students to check the details on the institutions’ website.

Think Twice! These Online Programs Could Be a Waste of Your Time and Money

Final Thought

Choosing the right online degree from the right institute is one of the most important decisions for a student’s academic and professional future. Thus, it is crucial for them to check and verify the recognition and entitlement status of the institutions before enrolling in an online and distance programme.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Which one should I choose: UGC Recognised or UGC Entitled?
A:

Both status holds immense value to ensure credibility and for career and academic opportunities. These status also ensure that your degree is legitimate and worth the investment.

Q: Do all online degrees require UGC recognition?
A:

Yes, the UGC approval is important to ensure that the online degree meets the industry standards and holds value for academic and employment purposes.

Q: How can I check if a university is UGC Entitled?
A:

You can verify the entitlement status of a university on the UGC-DEB website, where you can check the list of universities entitled to offer online and distance programmes.

Q: What is a UGC Recognised online degree?
A:

UGC-recognised online degree is a programme that has been officially approved by UGC and is valid for employment and further education.

Q: What does a UGC Entitled university mean?
A:

This means a university has been given permission by UGC to offer full-fledged online programmes as per regulations.

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Questions related to MBA

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to MBA ?

Yes, with an 89 percentile in CAT, your daughter has a good chance of securing admission in several reputed MBA colleges in India, though top IIMs may be difficult unless she has strong academic diversity, category reservation, or exceptional profile factors. At this percentile range, many well-known Tier-2 and upper Tier-3 management institutes consider candidates for their flagship MBA/PGDM programs.

Institutes such as IMI New Delhi, IMT Hyderabad, XIMB HRM, GIM Goa (certain programs), FORE School of Management, LBSIM Delhi, TAPMI Manipal (borderline), IFMR GSB, Great Lakes (PGDM) and several reputed university MBA programs actively shortlist candidates around the 85–90 percentile range. Final selection does not depend on CAT score alone; academic background, work experience, diversity, performance in GD/PI/WAT also play a significant role.

To maximise chances, she should apply to a balanced mix of colleges, prepare well for interviews, and highlight strengths such as internships, certifications, leadership roles, or work experience. If her profile is average and she aims for higher-ranked institutes, she may also consider repeating CAT with focused preparation to push her percentile above 95.

With 71.52 percentile in CAT as an SC category candidate, getting admission to NIT Trichy (DOMS) for MBA is possible but not guaranteed. NIT Trichy generally has lower CAT cut-offs for reserved categories, and in recent years, the SC cut-off has ranged approximately between 65–75 percentile, depending on the applicant pool and seat availability. Since your score falls within this range, you may get shortlisted for the PI round, especially if you have decent academic consistency and meet the minimum eligibility criteria. However, final admission will depend on performance in the personal interview, academic background, and availability of SC category seats. You should definitely apply to NIT Trichy, but also keep options open by applying to other NITs like NIT Warangal, NIT Surathkal, NIT Calicut, and central universities, where your percentile gives you a better conversion probability. Preparing well for the interview can significantly improve your chances of securing a seat.

With an overall CAT percentile of around 80 and belonging to the NC-OBC category, you do have a fair set of MBA college options in India, including some IITs, though the top IIMs and older IIT MBA programs will be difficult at this score.

At the IITs, you can realistically consider the newer and mid-tier MBA programs. IIT Jodhpur (MBA), IIT Bhilai, IIT Jammu, and IIT Dharwad are among the IITs where candidates with 75–85 percentile in CAT and category reservation like NC-OBC have received calls in previous admission cycles. These institutes generally place more weight on CAT score combined with academic background, work experience, and performance in the personal interview. However, IIT Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kharagpur, Kanpur, and Roorkee usually require much higher percentiles, even for reserved categories, so chances there are quite low at 80 percentile.

Apart from IITs, several good government and semi-government MBA institutes are strong options at your percentile. You should definitely consider colleges like NIT Trichy (DOMS), NIT Warangal (SOM), NIT Calicut (SOM), and NIT Durgapur, as NITs often have slightly lower CAT cutoffs for NC-OBC candidates compared to IIMs. Universities such as Jamia Millia Islamia (MBA), Aligarh Muslim University, University of Hyderabad, and Delhi School of Management (DTU) can also be explored, depending on sectional cutoffs and your academic profile.

In the private institute space, there are many reputed B-schools where 80 percentile with NC-OBC reservation gives you a reasonable chance. These include IMT Nagpur and Hyderabad, GIM Goa (for some programs), TAPMI Manipal, FORE School of Management, K J Somaiya (Mumbai), BIMTECH Greater Noida, IRMA Anand (depending on profile), and IFMR GSB Krea University. These colleges focus strongly on interviews, SOPs, and overall profile, so good communication skills and clarity of goals can significantly improve your chances.

Overall, your strategy should be to apply broadly. Prioritise newer IITs and NITs first, then reputed private B-schools with consistent placement records. Make sure you prepare well for the personal interview and group discussion rounds, as at this percentile, final selection depends heavily on how well you perform beyond CAT.

https://bschool.careers360.com/cat-college-predictor

Hello,

Both Bengal Institute of Business Studies (BIBS) and United World School of Business (UWSB) have strong placement records in Kolkata. with specific data suggesting BIBS has a slightly higher potential higher salary package. While the UWSB provides a higher placement rate.

I hope it will clear your query!!

Hello

With an NMAT score of 205, you have decent chances in good mid-tier MBA colleges.
You may get calls from NMIMS Hyderabad or Indore, but the Mumbai core is usually slightly higher.
Colleges like SDA Bocconi Asia Centre, BML Munjal, and IBS Hyderabad are realistic options.
Some reputed private B-schools may also consider you if sectional cutoffs are clear. Overall, 205 is a fair score that can lead to a solid MBA college with good planning.

You can refer to the link I am attaching for more details: CLICK HERE