The UGC has directed universities to devise mechanisms through statutory bodies to allow students to pursue two academic programmes simultaneously, according to officials.

The directive comes after the University Grants Commission (UGC) noted that students are facing difficulties as universities and higher education institutions (HEIs) insist on migration or school-leaving certificates.

"It has come to the notice of the UGC that students are facing difficulties as HEIs insist on migration certificates and school-leaving certificates. In the absence of these certificates, the students are not granted admission and that defeats the facility of pursuing two academic programmes simultaneously," UGC Secretary P K Thakur has said in a communication to universities and HEIs.

"The universities should devise facilitative mechanisms through their statutory bodies to allow the students to pursue two academic programmes simultaneously," Thakur has added.

The UGC had, in April last year, approved a proposal allowing students to pursue two full-time degrees simultaneously.

According to the UGC guidelines, students can now pursue two full-time academic programmes in the physical mode provided that in such cases, the class timings for one programme do not overlap with those of the other. It is not applicable to PhD programmes.