UGC Bans Psychology, Healthcare, and Nutrition Courses in Online and Distance Mode from July 2025
In a significant move aimed at preserving the quality of professional education in India, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced a ban on psychology, nutrition, and healthcare-related courses in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and online mode. The ban will be effective from the July-August 2025 academic session and will impact all disciplines governed under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021.
This decision marks a major regulatory change in India’s higher education landscape and is expected to affect both universities and thousands of students planning to pursue such courses remotely.
Which Courses Are Affected?
According to the UGC directive, higher educational institutions (HEIs) will no longer be permitted to offer the following programmes via online or distance learning formats:
- Psychology
- Clinical Nutrition
- Dietetics
- Healthcare and Allied Health Sciences
- Nutrition
- Microbiology
- Biotechnology
- Food Science
These are now classified as professional, practice-based programmes that require in-person training, as defined under the NCAHP Act, 2021.
UGC’s Statement on the Ban
UGC Secretary Manish Joshi clarified the scope and intent behind the decision:
“No higher educational institutions (HEIs) shall be permitted to offer any allied and healthcare programmes covered in the NCAHP Act, 2021, including psychology as specialisation under Open and Distance Learning and online mode, from the academic session July-August, 2025 and onwards.”
He further added that any recognition previously granted to institutions for offering these programmes from the 2025 academic session onward will be officially withdrawn.
Impact on Multi-Disciplinary Programmes
The UGC has also addressed how the rule applies to degree programmes with multiple specialisations, such as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) with various combinations.
In such cases, only the specialisations listed under the NCAHP Act will be removed, while the rest of the programme remains unaffected.
For example, if a BA programme includes a combination of subjects like English, History, Psychology, and Sociology, only Psychology—being under NCAHP—will be withdrawn, and the rest of the subjects may continue to be offered.
Reason Behind the Decision: Upholding Academic and Training Standards
The UGC stated that the move is based on the recommendations made during the 24th Distance Education Bureau (DEB) Working Group meeting held in April 2025. These recommendations were later endorsed in a recent UGC commission meeting.
The underlying rationale is the concern over the effectiveness of remote learning for professional courses that require:
- Hands-on training
- Practical exposure
- In-person assessment and mentorship
Officials highlighted that such critical components of professional education cannot be delivered adequately through online or distance formats, especially for disciplines involving clinical practice, patient interaction, or laboratory work.
Context: A Growing List of Prohibited Professional Courses
This latest ban is not the first of its kind. UGC had already restricted several professional and skill-based courses from being offered via ODL or online mode in earlier directives. These include:
- Engineering
- Medicine
- Dental
- Pharmacy
- Nursing
- Physiotherapy
- Architecture
- Applied Arts
- Paramedical Sciences
- Agriculture and Horticulture
- Hotel Management
- Catering Technology
- Visual Arts
- Law
By now including psychology, nutrition, and healthcare programmes under this list, UGC aims to ensure that all practice-based courses maintain academic rigor and real-world training standards.
What This Means for Students and Universities
This directive will have a significant impact on both prospective students and educational institutions:
For Students:
- Thousands of students who were planning to pursue healthcare-related or psychology programmes via remote learning will now have to shift to regular, in-person courses.
- Those seeking flexible education due to work or location constraints may have to reconsider their career paths or course choices.
For Institutions:
- Universities offering these programmes in ODL or online mode will now have to withdraw or restructure their academic offerings.
- Any institution that had received approval for the 2025 session and beyond will have its recognition revoked automatically if it includes these now-prohibited courses.
Policy Implications: A Step Toward Professional Integrity
The NCAHP Act, 2021, aims to standardize and regulate allied healthcare professions in India. By aligning UGC's academic regulations with this Act, the government is reinforcing its commitment to:
- Improve professional standards
- Enhance training quality
- Ensure public trust in healthcare and allied services
This alignment is also seen as necessary for maintaining the credibility of Indian healthcare qualifications, especially when graduates enter the workforce in clinical and sensitive environments.
Conclusion: Stricter Standards, Stronger Foundations
The UGC’s latest decision to ban psychology, nutrition, and healthcare-related courses from being taught through online and distance modes underscores a broader push for quality and integrity in professional education. While it may limit flexibility for some students, the emphasis is clearly on hands-on training, practical exposure, and academic rigor—critical components for healthcare and allied sciences.
Students and institutions alike must adapt to this regulatory shift, as India continues to refine and enhance its higher education framework for future readiness.
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Feel free to reach out or leave a comment. We’ll help you explore in-person course options or plan a career path aligned with the new UGC guidelines.
