New Delhi: UGC simultaneous degrees are back in focus after the Delhi High Court directed the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NEST) to reconsider the cancellation of four EMRS PGT candidates. The Court said NEST must review its decision in light of the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) modified guidelines, which recognise simultaneous academic programmes completed before 2022 as valid, subject to applicable rules.
Background of UGC Modified Guidelines 2025 Case
The case involved four candidates selected as Post Graduate Teachers (PGTs) under the EMRS Recruitment 2023.
They had completed M.A. and B.Ed. at the same time before 2022. After provisional appointment letters were issued, NEST cancelled their candidature in June 2024, saying the candidates had pursued two degrees simultaneously.
UGC Modified Guidelines 2025: What Did the Delhi High Court Say
A Division Bench of Justice V. Kameswar Rao and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora held that NEST must reconsider the cancellation.
The Court noted that the UGC, in its 589th meeting held on April 3, 2025, modified its 2022 guidelines. The clarification states that academic programmes completed simultaneously before the 2022 guidelines came into effect should be treated as valid if they complied with the rules applicable at that time.
Why Are the UGC Guidelines Important
The original UGC 2022 Guidelines created confusion over students who had completed two courses before the policy was introduced. Later, the UGC filed an affidavit and issued a clarification confirming that pre-2022 simultaneous degrees would remain valid, provided they followed the regulations in force when the courses were pursued.
Arguments Presented Before the Court
The petitioners argued that the cancellation was unfair because there was no rule stopping them from pursuing two degrees simultaneously before 2022. They also challenged the retrospective application of the 2022 guidelines, claiming it violated their rights under Article 14 of the Constitution of India.
NEST argued that the recruitment advertisement allowed only an integrated four-year course as an equivalent qualification. It also claimed that both qualifications should have been obtained in physical mode.
UGC Modified Guidelines 2025: Court’s Final Observation
The Delhi High Court observed that no guideline prohibited a candidate from pursuing one degree in regular mode and another through distance mode before 2022. The Bench directed NEST to reconsider the candidates’ cases after taking into account the UGC’s modified guidelines and affidavit before making a final decision.
What This Means for Students
The ruling may benefit candidates whose appointments or admissions were affected because they completed simultaneous degrees before 2022. It also highlights that government bodies must consider the UGC’s latest clarifications before rejecting candidates on this ground.
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