What is DEB ID, Admission to ODL, Online Programmes: UGC

Is DEB ID mandatory for IGNOU Admission?

The UGC mandates every student enrolling into online and distance education courses to register for DEB ID. Students who are planning to apply for IGNOU admission are required to create an IGNOU DEB ID at the time of registration. This UGC DEB ID is helpful when students plan to change their university and transfer their accumulated credits to the new university. Students who have dropped out of their course can continue from where they left off within 7 years of their drop out year, if they have a valid DEB ID.

What is DEB ID?

The UGC Distance Education Bureau (UGC DEB) is an online portal on which students aspiring to take admission in ODL and online programmes are required to be registered in. This has been confirmed by the UGC chairman Mamidala J Kumar on his social media handle that creating a DEB ID will be made mandatory for all the students who will apply for ODL and online courses from the academic year from October 2024 onwards. Students first need to register for the Academic Bank of Credit (ABC ID), then use it to create their DEB-ID.

How to create DEB ID?

To learn details on how to create a DEB ID, students are required to follow these steps:

Step 1: Visit UGC DEB official website at deb.ugc.ac.in

Step 2: Click on the “Registration” link above the homepage

Step 3: Choose the option for student registration

Step 4: Enter all the details required

Step 5: Click on “Submit” option

Step 6: You will be provided with an unique DEB-ID

Steps to register for DEB ID

What is the Purpose of DEB ID?

Unlike regular courses, the ODL and online courses are not very well discussed. Apart from a few well-known open universities like IGNOU, most online courses are not very well known among students. To avoid situations where students get enrolled in programmes which are not recognised by the UGC, the commission has mandated students to get registered under UGC DEB so that they get clarity if the programme they have enrolled in is recognised under the University Grant Commission.

Courses not approved by UGC for ODL and Online Programmes

Here is a list of courses that UGC has restricted the institutions to be offered in ODL and online mode:

• Medical

• Engineering

• Law

• Hotel Management

• Architecture

• Catering Technology

• Horticulture

• Occupational Therapy and other Para-Medical courses

• Physiotherapy

• Pharmacy

• Dental

• Nursing

• Yoga

• Tourism and Hospitality Management

• Visual Arts and Sports

• Culinary Sciences

• Aviation

• Aircraft Maintenance

Note: Students aspiring to take take admission into M.Phil and PhD programmes must be aware that these courses are prohibited to be offered in both ODL and online mode.