The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Thursday has put forth the draft guidelines for establishing campuses of foreign higher educational institutions in the country in line with the National Education Policy (NEP-2020. UGC has also invited suggestions and feedback from the public on the same.
A press release issued by the UGC says that as per the NEP 2020, the guidelines on ‘internationalisation of higher education’ in 2021, the UGC has laid down norms for setting up an Office for International Affairs and Alumni Connect Cell in the Universities.
However, the courses offered by these institutions will not be allowed in the online mode, clarified the UGC statement.
NEP 2020 very categorically states that only the top universities in the world will be allowed to operate in India. For this “a legislative framework facilitating such entry will be put in place, and such universities will be given special treatment regarding regulatory , governance, and content norms on par with other autonomous institutions of India,” said the release.
Higher education will get an international dimension with such regulations now in place. It will enable Indian Students to obtain foreign qualifications at affordable cost, and make India an attractive global study destination, the UGC said.
The guidelines called, “University Grants Commission Regulations, 2023 aim to facilitate the entry of foreign higher educational institutions into India”, it said.
“The new rules will control the entry and operations of Foreign Universities/ Institutions in India for conducting undergraduate, post-graduate, doctoral, post-doctoral, and other programmes and award degrees, diplomas, and certificates in all disciplines “, the UGC said.
Basically to have a campus in India the universities coming to India must rank within the first 500 list internationally. The universities have to qualify in this ranking even subject wise. They should follow the Commission’s guidelines set from time to time.
The foreign institute has to ensure that the quality of education imparted by it in its campus is at par with that of the main campus in the country of origin, the release said.
The degrees and diplomas awarded to the students in the Indian campus shall be recognised and treated as equivalent to the corresponding qualifications awarded by the FHEIs in the main campus located in the country of origin of the University, added the UGC release.
