Page 412 - Compendium of UGC Regulations 1957-2023

Regulations pertaining to Credits, Academic Programmes and Award of Degrees:

University Grants Commission
(Minimum Standards of Instruction for the Grant of the Master’s Degree
through Formal Education) Regulations, 2003.

In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (f) of sub-section (1) of Section 26 of the UGC
Act 1956 (No. 3 of 1956), the University Grants Commission makes the following Regulations,
namely: Short title, application and commencement:

1. Short title, application and commencement:
1.1 These Regulations may be called the University Grants Commission (Minimum
Standards of Instruction for the Grant of the Master’s Degree through Formal Education)
Regulations, 2003.
1.2 These shall apply to all universities established or incorporated by or under a Central
Act, a Provincial Act, or a State/Union Territory Act, and all institutions recognized by
or affiliated to such Universities and all institutions deemed to be universities under
Section 3 of the UGC Act 1956.
1.3 These shall come into force from the date of their publication in the official Gazette.
2. Admission:

2.1 No student shall be eligible for admission to a Master’s degree programme in any of
the faculties unless he/she has successfully completed three years of an undergraduate
degree or earned prescribed number of credits for an undergraduate degree, through
the examinations conducted by a university/autonomous institution or possesses
such qualifications as recognized by the concerned university as equivalent to an
undergraduate degree.
2.2 In case of integrated Master’s Degree Programmes of five or more years, no student
shall be eligible for admission unless he/she has successfully passed the examination
conducted by a board/university at the Plus Two level of schooling (either through
formal schooling for 12 years or through open school system) recognized by the
Central/State Government for this purpose or its equivalent.

2.3 The admission shall be made on merit on the basis of criteria notified by the university,
keeping in view the guidelines/norms in this regard issued by the UGC and other
statutory bodies concerned and taking into account the reservation policy issued by the
government concerned from time to time.
2.4 Student enrollment shall be in accordance with the academic and physical facilities
available keeping in mind the norms regarding the student-teacher ratio, the teaching-
non-teaching staff ratio, laboratory, library and such other facilities. The in-take
capacity shall be determined at least six months in advance by the university/institution
through its academic bodies in accordance with the guidelines/norms in this regard
issued by the UGC and other statutory bodies concerned so that the same could be
suitably incorporated in the admission brochure for the information of all concerned.
2.5 Depending upon the academic and physical facilities available in the institutions, the
university may allow an institution to admit a certain number of students directly to the
second year of a Master’s degree programme, if the student has either (a) successfully
completed the first year of the same programme in another institution, or (b) already
successfully completed a Master’s degree programme and is desirous of and academically
capable of pursuing another Master’s degree programme in an allied subject.

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University Grants Commission