New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has notified a fresh set of regulations that will allow Indian institutes with grade B accreditation to enter into collaboration with foreign educational institutions. The move comes in the wake of an increasing number of Indian institutes with B grade accreditation collaborating with foreign educational institutions. Through these regulations UGC aims to protect the interest of students and maintain quality standards.
The regulations are called the UGC (Promotion and Maintenance of Standards of Academic Collaborations between Indian and Foreign Educational Institutes) Regulations, 2012 .
Foreign institutions who enter into partnerships should be accredited with the highest grade in their homeland, the UGC notification said. As per the notification, “at the time of agreement for collaboration, Indian educational institution shall have accreditation by National Assessment and Accreditation Council with a grade not less than B or its equivalent grade.”
Indian educational institutions already having a collaborative arrangement shall comply with these regulations within a period of six months. Foreign educational institutions will have to abide by the conditions prescribed by the Indian government from time to time, the notification said.
Besides, the Indian institutes collaborating with foreign institutes shall have experience of at least five years offering educational programmes at the level of degree and post-graduate diplomas. Violation of rules could lead to termination of the MoU entered into for collaboration and even blacklisting, the notification said.
Technical institutes will not come under the purview of the regulations while government institutes shall be exempted from accreditation for the purpose of these regulations. Currently, around 50 foreign institutes are operating in India through twinning arrangement. Twinning programmes not only promise an international degree but also exposure to foreign campuses.
All institutes (Indian and foreign) involved in collaborations shall make public the academic requirements and other details of the programme on websites before commencement of the programme by Indian educational institutes concerned. No programme and research shall be offered which is against national security.
