UGC Bans Online Healthcare Courses from 2025—Quality Secured, But Access in Question

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed all higher education institutions to discontinue healthcare and allied programmes delivered via online and Open and Distance Learning (ODL) modes from the 2025–26 academic session, starting July–August 2025.

The ban applies to disciplines governed by the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021. This includes programmes in:

• Psychology

• Microbiology

• Biotechnology

• Food and Nutrition Science

• Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics

Institutions that previously held recognition to offer these courses online or through ODL will lose that approval immediately, and they must not admit new students to those programmes from the upcoming session.

In multi-major degrees such as a Bachelor of Arts combining healthcare and non-healthcare subjects, only the healthcare component must be discontinued. Other specialisations may continue online or via ODL.

The UGC stated that the move was taken to maintain quality and safeguard professional standards. Healthcare and allied fields require extensive hands-on training, supervised practice, and structured academic interaction, which distance or online formats may not reliably provide.

Students are also advised to verify the recognition status of programmes before applying. Degrees from unapproved or foreign tie-up courses offered in ODL or online mode will not be considered valid in India.

The University of Madras has already stopped admissions to its BSc Psychology, MSc Psychology, and MSc Counselling Psychology distance courses for the 2025–26 academic year, after enrolling around 400 students prior to the UGC directive. The institution has sought clarification from UGC and indicated it may offer transfer options or refunds if approval is not restored.

Some former academic leaders have suggested that psychology and related subjects could still be taught in distance mode if institutions included mandatory in-person contact classes and supervised clinical exposure.

The decision has sparked active discussion among psychologists and educators on professional forums, including LinkedIn.

Arjun Gupta, MA Psychology, noted that the move addresses misuse of distance degrees by individuals claiming expertise without adequate training. He highlighted that while some learners used ODL responsibly and pursued additional skills, the format was often exploited by “bad actors” to justify clinical work without competence. Gupta expressed support for the ban but also called for measures to support genuine learners, such as expanding training opportunities and accessible entrance preparation.

Siddhida Kabara, MA, Clinical Psychology, founder and CEO of DhairyaDa, pointed out that punitive actions without structural support may drive learners outside formal systems. She warned that black-and-white restrictions could encourage the growth of unregulated practitioners rather than curbing them. “People will not stop learning psychology because UGC doesn’t give them a chance, they will just stop being a part of the system,” she wrote.

Geetanjali R., a psychologist with RCI registration and PhD scholar, reflected on her own experience completing a psychology degree from IGNOU in 2019. She noted that while the degree opened doors, it offered limited clinical exposure and allowed practices such as paid internships or purchased assignments. She chose to pursue Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) registration to gain supervised training, stressing that degrees alone were insufficient to ensure competent psychological care.

(Rh/Eth/VK/MSM)