Alerting students pursuing various degrees through the distance mode, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has clarified that only M.B.A. and M.C.A. through the distance mode are considered for recognition by the Council.

In a public notice issued recently, the AICTE said, "The technical education programmes, which fall under the purview of AICTE, are in the fields of engineering, technology including MCA, Architecture, Town Planning, Pharmacy, Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Applied Arts and Craft and Post Graduate diploma in Management (PGDM)".

"It has been the policy of the AICTE, not to recognize the qualifications acquired through distance mode at diploma, bachelor's and master's level in these fields however. It now has the policy to consider only MBA and MCA through distance mode".

The Council also alerted all existing / prospective students pursuing or aspiring to pursue any educational programme in the fields to check the approval by the Joint Committee of Distance Education Council (DEC) of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), University Grants Commission (UGC) and AICTE on AICTE's website.

In the absence of the Council's approval, the MBA and MCA degrees acquired through the distance mode may not be considered for employment under Central Government.