Can we pursue a part-time Ph.D. and a distance course at the same time?

Part time PhD is allowed by UGC but one has to attend the lectures offline as there is no provision of distant PhD in our country so far. For completing part time PhD one has to spend at least 4 years. Part time PhD provision is basically for working professionals who can do it either after the office hours or late night by physically attending the lectures or sessions with their guides.
As regards doing a distant course alongwith PhD there is no stipulation that disallows it. So there will not be any problem in that combination. But one has to consider that seeing the massive project work required in part time PhD whether it would be possible to carry out an additional distant course.
For a working professional it would be really difficult to manage three responsibilities at a time but for an unemployed person it could be thought of.

As per the UGC norms a person who is doing PhD can't enroll himself in another course.
As per a notification from UGC Students pursuing PhD programmes are not allowed to take two academic degrees simultaneously under University Grants Commission (UGC) new regulations. They have not mentioned any special rule for Part time PhD students. So this rule is applicable for all PhD students irrespective of part time or full time. Double degree programmes are not applicable to PhD students as they have to focus on their research work and they should strive to create unique knowledge.
Part time PhD is allowed for working professionals. So before getting admitted into the PhD course, you should inform your research guide and the university authorities in writing and get the approval. In my opinion, you will not get approval for that. Then based on their decision you have to decide whether to continue in the same course already you are doing or get admission to PhD by cancelling your other admission.

As per UGC rules and regulations, you can't take two academic degrees simultaneously. Ph.D. students are not allowed to take another degree if he/ she has already enrolled for Ph.D. As you know, while pursuing Ph.D. ,you have to do research work. Generally, Part-time Ph.D. is allowed for working professionals. For part-time phd students, there is the same rule. UGC didn't notify another rule. So, before joining both courses you should check the rules and regulations for part-time Ph.D. students.

While taking up your final decision regarding pursuing your distance course and continuing part time Ph.D simultaneously, you should go through the latest guidelines of UGC which states that no other course should be continued while doing Ph.D including the part time Ph.D.
The purpose of such forbidding is to make the the aspirants fully concentrated in their doctorate plans.
A full time Ph.D demands total involvement in the research activities and so is the case with the part time Ph.D options.
Before you take a final decision in this regard, talk to the university officials so as to have the clear picture of their stands regarding simultaneous pursuing of two such activities.

According to the rule, you cannot do two-degree courses at the same time which means in the same academic session. But you can do a degree course and a diploma course in the same academic year.

So, if you are doing one degree and one diploma course at the same time it is fine and you are eligible to do so.

There's no issue in pursuing a distance course but the problem with distance course is that is doesn't carry more weightage compared to a regular course or PhD course. I have never heard about part time PhD course and to avail PhD course, certain eligibility criteria is required. First of all, atleast 55% percentage in masters under a recognised university. Secondly, appear for PhD entrance examinations such as NET. Even if you aren't able to appear for entrance examinations, universities such as University of Calcutta offer RET exam for admission in PhD course. I think it's best to devote full time with full focus to establish yourself in the choice of the field of research. Research is not everyone's cup of tea. And since you have made up your mind to do research and guide others later, dedication is must. It's the number of papers you publish is what matters in PhD course. To publish a paper, slight error will halt the process. Each and every minute detail must be accurate and precise with minimal faults.

According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), a candidate can pursue a Ph.D. on a part-time basis while pursuing a regular degree program (full-time) simultaneously. However, there are no specific guidelines that address pursuing a distance education course and a part-time Ph.D. simultaneously. Therefore, it would be best to check with the university or institution where you are pursuing the distance education course and the Ph.D. program to understand their policies and regulations regarding this.

It is crucial to note that pursuing two courses at the same time can be challenging, as both require a considerable amount of time and effort. It would be best to assess your capability to manage both courses, especially if you have a job or other responsibilities. You should also consider the course workload, availability of resources, and the support you will receive from the institutions offering the courses.

Moreover, if you plan to pursue a job along with these studies, it would be best to check with your employer's policies and whether they permit their employees to pursue part-time Ph.D. and distance education courses simultaneously.

In summary, while there are no specific UGC guidelines that prohibit pursuing a part-time Ph.D. and a distance education course simultaneously, it is essential to check with the institutions involved and assess your capability to manage both courses along with your other responsibilities.