Sat Sep 06 13:46:33 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the provided text, written from a general news perspective:
**Calicut University Aims for January 2026 Launch of Online Degree Programs After UGC Delay**
**Kozhikode, Kerala – September 6, 2025** – Calicut University (CU) is now targeting a January 2026 launch for its online undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) degree programs, after facing delays in securing approval from the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The university’s Centre for Online and Distance Education had originally planned to introduce at least nine UG and PG courses as early as this October. However, UGC officials informed CU representatives that the deadline for initiating courses had passed, as the commission typically approves launches only in January or July.
“We are planning to get the permission soon to launch them by January,” said an unnamed university official on Saturday.
The move to online education comes after CU ceased offering 25 UGC-approved distance education courses following the establishment of the Sreenarayanaguru Open University, which offered similar programs. This resulted in significant revenue losses for Calicut University and hardship for students in northern Kerala who relied on the center’s offerings. University officials had previously indicated that online courses would be offered as an alternative, and the plan is to expand the number of online courses available in the coming years.
First Piper 