India, April 14 -- Imagine signing up for an online course, excited for a degree that gets you a great job, only to find out it's not accepted by employers. Doesn't that sound like a tough lesson and a bit unfair? In 2023, the University Grants Commission (UGC) caught many schools offering fake Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programs, leaving countless students in despair. With over 20 lakh students exploring ODL annually in India, the stakes couldn't be higher. Here's a guide to help you stay safe and enroll smarter in 2025.

The first step on this journey demands diligence: always verify the institution's recognition. The UGC Distance Education Bureau maintains an updated list of approved institutions on its website, deb.ugc.ac.in, se...