New Delhi: Dual degrees seem to be catching on among youngsters in Delhi. Thousands of students seeking admission into vocational courses also want a conventional academic degree in hand as a pragmatic ploy to keep all options open.

Neha Phull is studying for a Bachelors degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambeshwar University in Hisar as a distance-learning student.

At the same time, she is pursuing a Bachelors in English Honours through a correspondence course from Delhi University. "I don't know whether I will go for a job in journalism after my mass communication course or appear for the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) competitive exams. So I am studying for both," said Phull.

Keeping one's options open is not the only motivation behind doing two degrees - it's a way of balancing out a vocational diploma or degree from a lesser-known university.

"I felt very uncomfortable doing a course from a comparatively lesser-known university in the first year. Therefore I joined a BA pass course in Delhi University in the second year," said Sharad Vats, a student of Indraprastha University. "All my family members are graduates of Delhi University ... how could I have done without it? Now I am at peace with myself," he added.

According to the human resource development ministry, out of 458,884 students who have taken up vocational courses - apart from medicine, engineering or Bachelors of Education - 38,216 students are also pursuing a bachelor's degree from Delhi University.

On this evolving trend, Ramesh Sharma, principal of Moti Lal Nehru College, Delhi University said, "Morally this is wrong. No one can do two courses from Delhi University. But studying for a regular degree from one university and pursuing the other through a correspondence course from another university is generally taken no notice of. No complaint has been received about this trend but it is common knowledge."

There has always been an obsession with degrees in India but whereas some decades ago people would put the letters 'BA' as a suffix to their name, this has now graduated to 'PhD'.

Earning two degrees in the same time-span seems to be an easier option to add weight to one's academic qualifications now - a trend that looks set to increase in the years to come. (IANS)