Prayagraj: Students completing two-year certificate programmes in individual subjects from Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University (UPRTOU) will now be treated as graduates in the same subject, following a key decision of the university’s Executive Council. The move is expected to expand higher education, competitive examination and employment opportunities for thousands of learners pursuing education through individual subjects.According to a certificate issued by the university, the curriculum of the two-year certificate programme in all individual subjects is equivalent to the corresponding subject at the undergraduate level. The Executive Council, the university’s highest authority, has approved the recognition of the two-year certificate as equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in the respective subject.The decision will directly benefit students who have completed a two-year certificate programme in an individual subject from UPRTOU. Earlier, their qualification was limited to the certificate level, but the new recognition is expected to enable them to claim graduate-level eligibility for further studies and other opportunities, subject to the rules of the concerned institution or recruiting body.University officials said the decision would particularly benefit learners who could not pursue conventional full-time undergraduate programmes due to personal, professional or other circumstances. It provides an alternative route for students seeking to enhance their educational qualifications through open and distance learning.University Registrar Vinay Kumar has issued a notice regarding the decision.Meanwhile, UPRTOU has also announced the counselling schedule for admission to BEd and BEd Special Education programmes for the 2026-27 academic session. The counselling process will be held from Aug 29 to Sept 3 at Atal Auditorium in the university’s Saraswati campus.For BEd, counselling for general category candidates with ranks 1 to 218 and general women candidates with ranks 222 to 407 will be held on Aug 29. OBC and SC candidates, including women candidates from these categories, will be called on Aug 30. Counselling for BEd Special Education will begin on Sept 1.
