In Brief
Ninety-two students sought a declaration that B.Tech. degrees awarded through open and distance learning mode by Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala were valid and equivalent to regular degrees. The Supreme Court dismissed the petition, holding that deemed-to-be universities cannot award technical degrees through distance learning without prior approval from both the UGC and AICTE. Technical education inherently requires hands-on practicals as an integral component; this cannot be modified through distance mode without express AICTE authorization. The 2004 UGC Guidelines mandate such approvals. Paragraph 49 of prior case law applies only to conventional courses, not distance learning. The Court noted that TIET lacked AICTE approval and statutory compliance in offering these courses.
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