The University Grants Commission (UGC) has drafted guidelines to recognise degrees from foreign universities. However, the guidelines exclude degrees obtained through online or distance mode or through any franchise agreement.
The UGC’s draft regulations say that a foreign degree will be recognised only if it is awarded by a recognised institution in its home country, and if the student has studied the programme through regular, in-person instruction (and not through online or distance learning) . The admission requirements should also be similar to that of a corresponding programme in India.
This affects many Indian students who have chosen online degrees from foreign institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. A report by QS shows that India saw a 44% increase in the interest in online learning between May 2020 and January 2021. The UK, the US, Canada and Australia were the top destinations for online education among Indian students.
It would not be the first time that Indian students got in trouble for opting foreign countries over their motherland. When the Ukraine-Russia war escalated in February last year, Indian students studying in Ukraine faced an even worse situation. Even though the Indian government evacuated all its students, the future of the students are still uncertain.
The UGC’s draft regulations are open for public feedback till September 15, 2023 . The final regulations will impact the future of online education and internationalization of higher education in India.
