Am I eligible to go for a Ph.D. after I do an MSc in Math through distance learning from Annamalai University? Is the Annamalai distance education UGC recognized?

In December 2012, the Central Government directed that the responsibility for carrying out the regulatory functions of distance education be transferred from the Distance Education Council (DEC) to the University Grants Commission (UGC). Thus, the UGC is the country's sole regulating body for distance education, and it has granted approval to institutes to offer courses that must adhere to certain standards and guidelines.

The UGC compiles a list of approved Distance Education universities in India using a three-tiered process:

1. scanning institutional data, such as infrastructure, faculty, delivery systems, and student support systems.

2. expert visits to institutions; and approval of programs based on content, quality, and effectiveness.

3. The course's self-instructional nature.

Annamalai University is a distance education learning university. Students who have completed any post-graduate course recognized by the UGC in humanities, social sciences, computer science, electronics, and so on are eligible to apply for the NET/ JRF exam. They must have received a minimum of 55% on their post-graduate exams. So, if the distance learning program is approved by the UGC or the Association of Indian Universities, you can apply for the NET/ JRF exams with confidence.