Indian & Foreign Institutions Can Now Offer Joint Degrees, Says UGC Chief

According to proposed UGC regulations, Indian higher education institutions can interact with overseas counterparts for credit recognition and transfer, twinning, and degree offerings.

UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar. (Source: Getty Images)

New Delhi: UGC Chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar on Tuesday announced that the University Grants Commission (UGC) has adopted regulations allowing Indian and international higher education institutions to provide joint or dual degrees and twinning programmes, news agency PTI reported.

According to proposed UGC regulations, Indian higher education institutions can interact with overseas counterparts for credit recognition and transfer, twinning, and degree offerings.

"Indian institutions can collaborate with any foreign institute in top 1,000 QS or Times Higher Education Ranking for joint degrees," UGC Chief was quoted by PTI on its official Twitter handle. 

Indian institutions can collaborate with any foreign institute in top 1,000 QS or Times Higher Education Ranking for joint degrees: UGC chief

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 19, 2022

In the meantime, the restrictions will not apply to programmes delivered via online or distance learning.

"Any Indian institution accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with a minimum score of 3.01 or in the top 100 in the University category of National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) or an Institution of Eminence can collaborate with any foreign institution in top 500 of Times Higher Education or QS World University ranking automatically whereas other Indian institutions and any foreign institution accredited by an assessment and accreditation agency in their homeland will have to seek approval of the UGC," Kumar was quoted by PTI in its report.

"The students will have to earn more than 30 per cent credits from the foreign institution under the programme. However, the regulations shall not be applicable to programmes offered online and in the open and distance learning mode," he added.

(With PTI Inputs)