Section 8(1)(v) in University Grants Commission (Open and Distance Learning) Regulations, 2017
(v)shall award only such degrees as specified under section 22 of the Act, and permitted in the Order of recognition under clause (i) of sub-regulation (4) of regulation 3. However, the Higher Educational Institutions may continue to offer Certificate or Diploma or Post Graduate Diploma programmes subject to the condition that all the Certificate or Diploma or Post Graduate Diploma programmes are duly approved by the statutory authorities or bodies of the respective Higher Educational Institutions and the delivery mechanism conforms to the quality standards of the Open and Distance learning education as specified by the Higher Educational Institutions and further, the Higher Educational Institutions may offer Certificate or Diploma or Post Graduate Diploma in professional programmes (other than in engineering, medicine, dental, nursing, pharmacy, architecture and physiotherapy etc. and programmes not permitted to be offered in distance mode by any other regulatory authority) subject to the condition that the concerned Higher Educational Institution has already obtained or received the requisite approvals from the concerned statutory regulatory authorities or councils before the actual start of such courses or programmes through Open and Distance Learning mode;