UGC Revised Guidelines for Dual Degree: Students Can Now Pursue Two Degrees at Once

The University Grants Commission has released a notification regarding the revised guidelines for students allowing students to pursue two academic programmes at once, according to the objectives of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The new standards that were approved at the 589th meeting of the commission which was held on April 3, 2025, not only enhance academic flexibility that is now available but also justify old cases of dual enrollment within the particular circumstances.

According to the revised guidelines, students may now pursue two full-time academic programs physically as far their class schedules don’t clash. Also, student can enroll in one full-time physical program and another online or via Open and Distance Learning (ODL) at the same time. The students are also allowed to enroll in two online or ODL programs simultaneously, as long as the programs are carried out by the organizations that are approved by the Government of India, Statutory Councils or the University of Grants Commission (UGC).

The consideration of degrees earned at once before this notification is a major change from the previous guidelines. Such programs will be considered as valid if they were carried out according to the UGC’s First Degree and Master Degree Regulations and if followed the guidelines of appropriate statutory councils and distance education bodies.
Students who previously completed their dual programs but were skeptical about the validity of their degrees can now easily rest by this change.

However, the Ph.D programmes are exempted from these new guidelines. All the universities and their affiliated institutions have been asked to put these norms into effect through their statutory bodies. As considered in the NEP 2020, this action is a important aspect of a larger initiative to increase flexibility, multidisciplinary nature, and inclusivity of higher education.

The new revised guidelines will be put into effect from the date of the official notification by the university of grants commission (UGC).