PNN
New Delhi [India], October 27: India’s online degree market has grown quickly. For the 2025-26 academic year, the University Grants Commission (UGC) entitled 113 universities to offer 756 online programmes, and the list has grown again for 2026-27. A working professional, or a student who has just finished Class 12, can now choose from online MBA, MCA, MA, M.Com, BBA, BCA, B.Com and BA programmes across a long list of universities.
The information has not kept pace. The same programme shows different fees on different websites. Rankings are quoted without saying which ranking or which year. Approval claims are rarely dated. edifyedu.in, a free online university comparison platform founded by Rishi Kumar in 2024, is built around one idea: show students the underlying data and where it comes from, and let them decide.
Fees shown as the total a student actually pays
Most confusion starts with fees. An online programme’s fee changes with whether a student pays in one go or semester-wise, whether an early-bird window is open, which specialisation is chosen, and which campus runs the programme. Each version can be correct at the same time. edifyedu.in lists the total programme cost where universities publish it, covering tuition along with exam, registration and other one-time charges, rather than a single semester’s tuition. Its advice to students is simple: before comparing two fees, check that both refer to the same payment mode and discount window.
Approvals checked against official sources, with a date
UGC entitles universities to offer online programmes for each academic year and session, and it entitles specific programmes, not universities in general. A university approved for an online MBA is not automatically approved for an online MA. edifyedu.in’s free verification tool checks each university against five official sources: UGC-DEB, NAAC, NIRF, AICTE and AACSB. It shows the current NAAC grade with its validity period, matches each online programme to the institution approved to award it, and stamps every page with the date it was last checked. The data is reviewed every 45 days, and the tool needs no sign-up or login.
Rankings from government data, category by category
NIRF ranks universities separately in its Overall, University and Management lists, and a university’s overall rank can be far from its management rank. edifyedu.in orders universities using NIRF data and shows each category separately, so an MBA aspirant sees the management rank and not just the headline number. Universities cannot pay for a higher position on the platform.
Is an online degree valid? The condition students miss
Under Regulation 22 of the UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020, online degrees are treated as equivalent to the corresponding degrees earned in conventional mode, a position UGC restated in a public notice in September 2022. The conditions are that the awarding university must be recognised under those regulations, and the degree must conform to UGC’s Specification of Degrees, 2014. edifyedu.in flags this on each university page, so students can check it before they enrol rather than after.
What to check, programme by programme
Online MBA and MCA. Confirm that the specialisation you want is offered in online mode, not only on campus. Check whether AICTE approval applies to that university, which the verification tool shows. For an MBA, compare NIRF Management ranks rather than overall ranks.
Online MA and M.Com. These are offered by a wide mix of private, state, central and open universities. Check that the exact programme appears on UGC’s entitled list for the current academic year, and confirm the medium of instruction and the exam format.
Online BBA, BCA, B.Com and BA. These typically run for three years. Compare the total fee across all six semesters rather than one, and check the eligibility rules for your Class 12 stream.
Students know the university, not the outcome
“Most students don’t have a comparison problem. They have a guidance problem,” said Rishi Kumar, Founder of edifyedu.in. “Ask someone why they want an MBA or a BCA, and which roles it leads to, and many can’t answer. They end up choosing whichever university the last caller recommended. We want every student to see where a degree leads, and what it really costs, before they pay anything.”
For many learners, it is a second attempt
Rishi Kumar describes online degrees as a second chance as much as a qualification. In his view, many learners come to them after a career break, a layoff, caregiving responsibilities or another setback. “For someone rebuilding a career, an online degree is a comeback tool,” he said. “That is why the information has to be honest. A student who picks the wrong programme loses a year, not just the fee.”
Students can compare online programmes and check any university’s current approval free at edifyedu.in.
About edifyedu.in
edifyedu.in is a free, commission-free online university comparison platform. Founded in 2024 by Rishi Kumar, it lists fees, UGC-DEB approval, NAAC grades and NIRF rankings for UGC-DEB approved online universities across MBA, MCA, MA, M.Com, BBA, BCA, B.Com and BA programmes.
Website: https://edifyedu.in
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