The University Grants Commission (UGC) has warned aspirants against selecting courses with false promises like an MBA crash course in 10-days.

In an advisory issued on Wednesday, UGC said students must be wary when they see advertisements for courses. One such is offering an MBA in 10 days.

The commission said that some individuals and organizations are offering online programmes with acronyms or abbreviated forms like the higher education system’s recognized degree programmes. One such programme to which the attention of the Commission has been drawn is ’10 Days MBA’.

“The nomenclature of a degree, including its acronym/abbreviated form, duration, and entry qualification, is specified by the UGC, with the previous approval of the Central Government, through the publication of a notification in the official Gazette.

Further, only a university, established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, a Provincial Act, or a State Act, or an institution deemed to be a university, or an institution specifically empowered by an Act of Parliament, has the right to confer a degree. Stakeholders are, therefore, advised to ascertain the validity of an online programme before applying or taking admission to any online programme,” the UGC said.

As per the existing rules, higher education institutions in India are mandated to seek approval from the UGC to offer any online degree programme in terms of the UGC Regulations.

A list of recognized HEls to offer online programmes and of permitted online programmesis available on www.deb.ugc.ac.in.

Also read: UGC: 4-year bachelor’s degree holders with 75% marks can pursue PhD directly