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What are the eligibility criteria for central government jobs in terms of degrees obtained through online/distance mode? Many young aspirants with online/distance degrees are confused about whether they are eligible for government jobs with online/distance degrees in hand. So yes, degrees obtained through the online and open and distance learning (ODL) mode are completely valid if you wish to pursue government jobs whether in central or state government. However, there are certain conditions as well so read further to know all about online degrees and government jobs.
Is Online/Distance Degree Valid for Government Jobs?
YES! Degrees obtained through the online or the open and distance learning (ODL) mode are completely valid if you are applying for government jobs.
If you are applying for a job in the central government, then you must know that you have to appear for and clear an entrance examination to get the job. However, there is an eligibility criteria for the aspirants. Only the ones who fulfill these eligibility criteria are allowed to give the entrance examination.
Now, this eligibility criteria usually mentions the highest qualification that the aspirant needs to have. For example, the eligibility requirement can be that the aspirant must have completed their bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
Hence, since the online/distance degrees are considered equivalent to the regular degree, it makes you eligible to give the entrance exam for central government recruitment.
Similar is the case with the jobs in the State Government. Any student with a relevant degree in either regular mode, online mode, or open and distance learning (ODL) mode can apply for state government recruitments. (There might be a few state government jobs wherein due to certain circumstances there might not be an entrance examination. However, in this case, also degrees equivalent to regular ones are acceptable which means online/distance degrees are valid.)
These government recruitments judge the aspirants mainly on the basis of the entrance examination, therefore they accept students with the required degree irrespective of the mode of learning. Therefore, online/distance degrees are very much valid for the eligibility criteria, all you’ve got to do to get the job is ace the written exam and the interview (if any).
However, the university from which you pursue the online/distance degree must be approved by the government regulatory body- University Grants Commission (UGC) and Distance Education Bureau (DEB).
This approval is a must! This is because without the approval of UGC and DEB the degrees will stand invalid. So you must be careful when you select a college to pursue your online/distance degree course. It will be even better if the college has other accreditations, recognitions, and rankings such as AICTE, NAAC, NIRF, etc.
Also Read | UGC Approved Online Degree Colleges In India.
According to the official notification, “All degrees, diplomas, and certificates, including technical education degrees and diplomas awarded through the open and distance-learning mode of education by universities established by an Act of Parliament or State Legislature, institutions deemed to be universities under Section 3 of the UGC Act and institutions of national importance declared under an Act of Parliament stand automatically recognised for the purpose of employment to the posts and services under the central government, provided they have been approved by the UGC.”
Is Online/Distance Degree Valid for Civil Services & Other Competitive Examinations?
Yes, an online/distance degree is absolutely valid if you are willing to apply to Civil Services or any other national/state level competitive examination. The eligibility criteria for these examinations is that you must have completed your bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised higher education institution or an equivalent degree. Again, because the online/distance degrees are equivalent to regular degrees, this makes you eligible for applying to these exams.
In fact, an online/distance degree can be very useful in such cases as you can prepare for your entrance exam along with completing your degree. This is because, in an online/distance degree course, you get a lot of time as all your classes are either online or you are given access to recorded lectures. You do not have to go to college at all and you can access the study material (including recorded lectures) at any time of the day.
Hence, you have a lot of time up your sleeves which you can utilize to prepare for Civil Services or any other competitive examination.
Which Online/Distance Degrees Are Not Valid for Government Jobs?
There are certain technical courses that the government of India does not allow to be offered in the online/distance mode. As a result, the degrees of any such courses are as good as fake as they are invalid in case you wish to apply for any government job.
Courses such as MBBS, B.Tech, M.Tech, B.Arch, etc are some of the many technical courses that are not valid for government jobs or in general, are just not valid. Following are the 10 subject fields that consist of technical courses that are not valid in the online/distance mode.
| Engineering | Medicine |
| Dental | Pharmacy |
| Nursing | Architecture |
| Physiotherapy | Agriculture |
| Culinary Studies | Hotel Management |
Minimum Eligibility Criteria for Government Jobs
To get a job in the government sector, whether state or central, you have to appear for an entrance examination. There might be several levels of examination including an interview as well. However, to be able to appear for these entrance examinations there is a certain minimum eligibility criteria. Only those who fulfil this eligibility criteria will be allowed to give the entrance examination.
Given below is the eligibility criteria for some of the top government jobs in India
| Minimum Educational Qualification of Top Govt Jobs in India | |
| Government Job | Minimum Educational Eligibility |
| IAS | The candidate must have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline or equivalent (online/distance degree) from a recognised higher education institution. The students in their final year of graduation are also eligible to give the entrance examination. |
| IPS | |
| Indian Foreign Services (IFS) | |
| NDA & Defence Services | The candidate must have passed their 10+2 or equivalent from a recognised board of examination with Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects. |
| ISRO/DRDO Scientists & Engineers | The candidate must have a bachelor’s degree in Science stream or an equivalent technical or professional degree/diploma in Engineering/Computer Science/Technology. |
| RBI Grade B (DR) – (General) | The candidate must have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline or equivalent technical or professional qualification (online/distance degree) from a recognised higher education institution with at least 60% aggregate marks (50% for SC/ST/PWD). |
| Indian Forest Services | The candidates must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in any one of these subjects- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, and Zoology. The candidate is also eligible with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Agriculture, Forestry or Engineering from a recognised higher education institution. |
| PSU Jobs | There are several different types of departments and specialisations in PSUs, therefore the eligibility depends upon the department. You must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a subject which is relevant to the job you have applied for and from a recognised higher education institution. |
| Assistant Professors/ Lectures in Govt. Colleges | The candidate must have a Master’s degree or equivalent (online/distance degree) from a recognised higher education institution in the subject you wish to specialise in. |
| SSC CGL | The candidate must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in any discipline from a recognised higher education institution. This is the basic and minimum eligibility criteria but since there are numerous types of jobs, there might be slight differences in the eligibility criteria. |
Which Online/Distance Degree Is Best For Government Jobs?
If you are aiming for government jobs, then there are certain degree courses that might help you find better chances at getting jobs with central as well as state government organisations. Some of such courses are:
| Public Administration | Mathematics |
| Political Science | Commerce |
| Economics | Computer Application |
| Accounting | Public Relations |
