UGC debars NMIMS from offering distance learning, online courses

New Delhi [India], April 19 : The University Grant Commission (UGC) has debarred the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Maharashtra, from offering open and distance learning (ODL) and online programmes for the academic sessions of January-February 2023, July-August 2023 and January-February 2024.

UGC secretary Msh R Joshi in a statement said that NMIMS had not adhered to the UGC regulations and was in gross violations with regard to the functioning of the Centre for Internal Quality Assurance (CIQA), quality of self-learning material and e-Learning Material (e-LM), the nomenclature of the Centre for Distance and Online Learning.

According to the statement from UGC released on Tuesday, the Commission has taken a serious view on the above violations and "decided in its 566th meeting held on February 23, 2023, to debar/ban/withhold the Higher Education Institution (HIE) from offering ODL and online programme for January-February 2023, July-August 2023 and January-February 2024 academic sessions even as entitled HIEI and/or Category-I HEI".

The UGC statement also added that the HEI may be allowed to run or offer ODL and online courses for the academic session from July-August 2024, only pursuant to inspection or onsite visit by UGC and after obtaining necessary approvals from UGC.

Therefore, he said in the statement that the general public is advised not to take admission in any course of NMIMS, Maharashtra, through open and distance learning mode and online mode for January-February 2023, July-August 2023 and January-February 2024.