No Dual Degrees From Foreign Educational Institutes Operating In India

Students graduating from institutions functioning in collaboration with foreign educational institutions in India shall be awarded their degree only in the name of the Indian institute.

MoS (HRD) Mahendra Nath Pandey in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha clarified that joint degrees are not permitted under the law.

The minister said there were regulations notified by the UGC and AICTE that govern the functioning and collaborative arrangements between the foreign and Indian educational institutes, but clarified that no law at present allows the entry and operation of foreign educational providers to set up their campuses and offer dual degrees in India.

He added that the degree can only be awarded in the name of the Indian counterpart, in case of such institutes.

It should be made adequately clear that the primacy and the award of the degree is by the indian educational institution and is not to be construed as a joint degree. A para shall be incorporated to that effect and enunciate that ‘this degree is being awarded in collaboration with the foreign educational institution’. It should be clearly spelt out that

Mahendra Nath Pandey said the University Grants Commission (UGC) has notified the UGC (Promotion and Maintenance of Standards of Academic Collaboration between Indian and Foreign Educational Institutions) Regulations 2016, which spells out the modalities concerning the eligibility criteria and conditions which oversee collaborative arrangements between Indian and foreign educational institutions.

Further, the AICTE has also issued regulations for entry and operation of foreign universities/institutions imparting technical education in India to facilitate collaboration and partnerships between Indian and foreign universities/institutions in the field of technical education, research and training.

This article has been made possible because of financial support from Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation.