“(viii) The Higher Educational Institution has valid accreditation from National Assessment and Accreditation Council with minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.26 on a 4 point scale and has completed five years of existence:
Provided that the Higher Educational Institutes that are either State or Central or State Private Universities and were given permission by the University Grants Commission to offer programmes in open and distance learning mode for the academic session 2017-18 will be allowed to impart Open and Distance Learning education till the academic session 2019-20 to enable them reach the prescribed quality National Assessment and Accreditation Council benchmark.
Provided further, that the Higher Educational Institutes falling in the above category but currently not accredited with National Assessment and Accreditation Council shall apply for National Assessment and Accreditation Council accreditation within three months from the date of issue of this regulation.
Provided further, that this clause shall not be applicable to Open Universities till the time they become eligible for National Assessment and Accreditation Council accreditation and it shall be mandatory for Open Universities to get National Assessment and Accreditation Council accreditation within one year of their becoming eligible for the same.
Provided further, that an institution Deemed to be a University so declared by the Central Government shall offer the Open and Distance Learning courses or programmes as per the extant Deemed to be a University Regulations and also notified by the University Grants Commission from time to time in the matter.
Provided further that the higher education institutions which are Deemed to be Universities and were given permission by the University Grants Commission to offer programme in open and distance learning mode for the academic year 2017-18 shall be permitted to impart Open and Distance Learning education till the academic session 2019-20 to enable them reach the specified quality National Assessment and Accreditation Council benchmark subject to University Grants Commission specifically allowing the Deemed to be University to conduct Open and Distance Learning courses for specific programmes and after the off campus centres, study centres are individually inspected and found adequate by the University Grants Commission and the approval will be course specific.
Provided further, Deemed to be Universities falling in this category and currently not accredited with National Assessment and Accreditation Council shall apply for National Assessment and Accreditation Council accreditation within three months from the commencement of the University Grants Commission (Open and Distance Learning) Second Amendment Regulations, 2018.” 4 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART III—SEC. 4]
(b) In regulation 3, for sub-regulation (2), the following sub-regulation shall be substituted, namely:- “(2) A Higher Educational Institution intending to offer a programme in Open and Distance Learning mode for academic session immediately after the commencement of the University Grants Commission (Open and Distance Learning) Second Amendment Regulations, 2018 and for subsequent years shall, notwithstanding that it has obtained permission from the then Distance Education Council or by the Commission for offering a programme in Open and Distance learning mode for next coming academic session and for subsequent years, shall make an on-line application in the format specified by the Commission, and upload the same on the specified portal along with scanned copy of the documents specified therein, at least six months before the commencement of the academic session of the programme intended to be offered by such Higher Educational Institution. However, the Commission may relax this period of six months at its discretion only for the academic session July 18 - June 19.”