Lagatar24 Network
Ranchi, April 11: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed all the higher education institutions across India to award degrees to their students within the stipulated period of 180 days from the declaration of results, it stated in a notification issued on its official website recently.
“The degree award date/s shall be within 180 days of the date/s by which the students are expected to qualify and become eligible for them,” the notification read.
The notification was issued in the wake of a large number of complaints from students highlighting a delay by varsities and colleges in awarding degrees. Several RTIs and grievances related to delay in handing over of degrees to students were also filed in the past couple of months.
“The delay in issuing the degree, mark sheet and other certificates causes problems to the students in the matters of Higher education and employment,” UGC, a statutory body under the ministry of education, said in its latest notification.
In a letter to all vice-chancellors of universities and college principals, the UGC also stated that it will take punitive action against universities that fail to award degrees in accordance with UGC regulations.
“The commission will be constrained to take punitive actions as are notified in the Regulation 9 of UGC (Grievance Redressal) Regulation 2012 against the universities failing to comply with the UGC regulations on award of degree,” it said in the letter.
Notably, several universities in the state, including Ranchi University in the past have taken longer than a year to distribute degrees. However, after the letter from the UGC, universities have claimed this was not the case. “The delay in distribution of degrees happened due to covid,” said a RU official.
