The University Grants Commission (UGC) has introduced a new regulation to assess foreign qualifications from schools and higher education institutions. The new regulation is called UGC (Recognition and Grant of Equivalence to Qualifications Obtained from Foreign Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2025 and will also allow grant of equivalence degrees to academic qualifications obtained from foreign educational institutions.
However, the provisions for granting equivalence certificates to foreign qualifications will not apply to professional degrees awarded in disciplines such as Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Law, Architecture, and other fields that fall under the jurisdiction of statutory regulatory councils in India. Such qualifications will continue to be governed by the specific norms and recognition procedures laid down by the respective regulatory bodies.
The equivalence process will be determined by a set of parameters, including the legitimacy of the foreign institution, the duration and level of the qualification, and its comparability to Indian programmes.
The move has been introduced to cater to the growing number of Indian students returning from abroad with international credentials, often facing delays and uncertainty in getting their degrees recognised. These students face problem either in getting admission to Indian institutions or for employment.
The university body has noted the conditions for recognition of Foreign degrees. The foreign education institution must be recognised under the relevant laws in force in the home country. The candidate must have pursued the programme of study to the qualification and the entry-level requirements for admission to such programme of study are similar to that of a corresponding programme of study in India.
The UGC has also clarified that qualifications obtained through unrecognised institutions, unaccredited programmes will not be eligible for equivalence.
(With inputs from ANI)
