Good news to all those candidates who has been completed and awarded a degree prior to June 4, 1986, received by UGC. University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced that the two-year undergraduate degree awarded to the students before the year 1986 would be considered equivalent to the present day three year undergraduate degree.
According to the University Grants Commission Regulations, 1985 (which came into effect from 1986) regarding the minimum standards of instructions for the grant of the first degree through formal education, no student shall be eligible for the award of the first degree unless he has successfully completed a three years degree course and this degree may be called the B.A/B.Sc/B.Com and no student shall be eligible to seek admission to the Masters degree course in these faculties, who has not successfully passed the first degree course of three years duration. This means, students who have been awarded a UG degree before 1986 were not considered eligible to pursue any postgraduate degree.
Taking into consideration the various representations seeking clarification on the application of these regulations on the degrees awarded prior to June 4, 1986, received by UGC, it has released a new notification clarifying on the issue of two years Bachelor’s degree awarded by the statutory Universities prior to 1986. The notification released by the Commission states, “It is clarified that the students who had enrolled themselves in the first degree course prior to June 4, 1986 and students who had successfully completed their first degree course, prior to June 4, 1986, irrespective of their duration shall be treated at par with the students who have completed 3 years degree course and they are not required to undergo a further one year bridge course. Degree obtained prior to June 4, 1986 and the degree awarded to the students enrolled prior to June, 1986 shall be treated valid for all purposes including admission to a Masters Degree programme, other higher studies and employment.” This latest amendment made by UGC comes as relief for the two-year degree holders as they can now pursue their desired postgraduate degree without any hurdles.