VINIT GARG vs UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION,

The Supreme Court ruled that the degrees of Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) obtained by petitioners through distance learning from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (TIET, Patiala) are valid despite the absence of approval from the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Citing Article 32 of the Constitution and the UGC Act, 1956, the Court held that deemed universities are not mandated to seek AICTE approval for technical courses, thereby affirming the legitimacy of the degrees awarded to the petitioners. The Court directed UGC to recognize these degrees as equivalent to those obtained through regular courses.