Usha Martin University gets UGC-DEB approval for online programmes
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK RANCHI, September 8: Usha Martin University has received approval from the University Grants Commission–Distance Education Bureau (UGC-DEB) to…
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
RANCHI, September 8: Usha Martin University has received approval from the University Grants Commission–Distance Education Bureau (UGC-DEB) to offer online undergraduate and postgraduate programmes for the 2026-27 academic session, marking a significant expansion of its digital higher education offerings.
The approval will enable the university to extend its reach to students and working professionals who may not be able to attend regular classroom programmes and want to pursue higher education alongside professional or personal commitments.
The development comes a year after the university secured NAAC accreditation with an ‘A’ grade and a CGPA of 3.17 in 2025. The university said the score was the highest awarded to any university in Jharkhand at the time.
The UGC-DEB-approved online programmes include BBA (Hons.) and BCA (Hons.) at the undergraduate level. Both are four-year programmes and offer Multiple Entry and Exit options.
At the postgraduate level, the approved programmes are:
- MBA in Human Resource Management
- MBA in Finance Management
- MBA in Marketing Management
- Master of Computer Applications (MCA)
Each of the postgraduate programmes has a duration of two years.
University eyes wider access through online education
Brigadier (Dr) Sumer Vir Singh, Officiating Vice-Chancellor, Usha Martin University, said online education had emerged as an important mode of higher education.
He said the UGC-DEB approval would help the university reach learners who may not be able to attend regular classroom programmes.
Singh also highlighted the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s target of achieving a 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education by 2035, saying the university was committed to contributing to the national goal.
Registrar Dr Shiv Pratap Verma said the approval reflected the university’s efforts towards maintaining academic standards and developing a structured online education system.
He said online programmes would allow learners to pursue higher education according to their individual circumstances while enabling the university to reach a wider section of society.
Programmes aimed at students and working professionals
Prof B N Sinha, Dean Academics, said the changing needs of learners had increased demand for education systems that allow students to balance studies with professional and personal responsibilities.
He said the online programmes had been designed with these requirements in mind and would help learners pursue their academic and career goals with greater flexibility.
Prof Arvind Hans, Director, Centre for Distance & Online Education, said online education was more than a matter of convenience and could help take higher education to a larger number of learners.
He said the university would focus on providing online students with quality learning resources, academic support and a meaningful learning experience.
Admissions open till October 13
The online programmes are expected to benefit students, working professionals, entrepreneurs, homemakers and international learners, among others seeking to pursue higher education or enhance their career prospects.
Admissions for the 2026-27 academic session began on September 5, 2026, with the last date for admission set as October 13, 2026.
With the UGC-DEB approval, Usha Martin University said it plans to further strengthen its online education infrastructure and use technology to connect more learners with higher education opportunities.
