UGC has a plan for easy recognition of degrees from foreign universities. Details here
Many students who have studied abroad with international qualifications aim to integrate into India's higher education system and workforce after their return. Such students want to be part of the Indian higher education system without delay. To facilitate faster integration, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has decided to establish a standardised equivalence framework by bringing in a new regulation.
The UGC has developed a transparent, technology-driven mechanism to recognise qualifications from foreign schools and higher education institutes. "Such students need a structured procedure to evaluate foreign credentials without unpredictable delays and procedural ambiguity. Acknowledging this challenge, the UGC has decided to establish a standardised equivalence framework by bringing in a new regulation. UGC has developed a transparent, technology-driven mechanism for recognising foreign qualifications from schools and higher education institutes,” remarked Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, chairman, UGC.
He says that this move by the UGC is crucial and will help in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s vision of transforming India into a global study destination. “If Indian institutions are to attract international students, we must ensure fair recognition of degrees earned abroad. By addressing a long-standing issue, UGC has taken a decisive step through this significant reform toward making India’s higher education system more inclusive, competitive, and future-ready,” added Kumar.
The UGC has issued the Regulations on Grant of Equivalence to Qualifications Obtained from Foreign Higher Education Institutions, 2025. The UGC guidelines are expected to help Indian students abroad and help make the Indian education system international. This approach will not only streamline the inclusivity of such students in the Indian education system but also help them seek employment in India as it will process qualifications only from recognised foreign universities. There are many universities and colleges abroad which are not very well known and are not credible.
As per reports only the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has been granting equivalence to degrees awarded by recognised foreign universities and institutions.
Guidelines
The UGC regulations equivalence will be granted to qualifications obtained from off-shore campuses of foreign educational institutions subject to specific conditions. As per UGC qualifications obtained through franchising arrangements will not be considered for equivalence and a qualification obtained from a school situated in a foreign country shall be accepted for determining equivalence for the purpose of admission to undergraduate and equivalent programmes of study in a higher educational institution in India, subject to the laid down conditions.
UGC will maintain a dedicated online portal to receive and process applications for equivalence certificates and a standing committee of experts will examine applications and make recommendations to the commission. As per the regulation, applicants will be able to seek a review of the decision through a review committee constituted by the UGC. Equivalence certificates will be valid for pursuing higher education and research in Indian institutions and for employment purposes.
UGC has made it clear that these regulations will not apply to professional qualifications in disciplines such as medicine, pharmacy, nursing, law, architecture, and other qualifications regulated by respective statutory councils in India.
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