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UGC Notifies New Rules for Recognising Foreign Degrees
Context
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued new rules – called the “Recognition and Grant of Equivalence to Qualifications Obtained from Foreign Educational Institutions Regulations, 2025” – to make it easier and more transparent for students with foreign qualifications to get them recognised in India.
Key-highlights of the Regulations
- These rules explain how to get an equivalence certificate, which is a document confirming that a degree, diploma, or certificate earned abroad is considered equal to an Indian qualification.
- The equivalence certificate will be valid for:
- Admission to Indian higher education institutions (like universities and colleges)
- Jobs where a UGC-recognised qualification is required
- Research purposes in India
- But, the regulations do not apply to professional courses regulated by other statutory bodies like: Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Law and Architecture. These areas continue to follow the norms of their respective councils (like NMC, BCI, COA, etc.).
- Qualifications to be Considered for Equivalence: For a foreign qualification to be accepted:
- The foreign institution must be recognised in its home country.
- The course must have similar admission and academic standards as those in India. This includes credit requirements, internship or thesis components, etc.
- The student must have completed the course according to the foreign institution’s norms.
- Even degrees from offshore campuses of foreign universities can be recognised, if they follow proper academic standards in both the host country and the institution’s home country.
- The regulations also apply to school-level qualifications (e.g. Class 12 from abroad) when applying for undergraduate courses in India — as long as the student has completed at least 12 years of schooling.
- Process for Getting an Equivalence Certificate: The UGC will set up an online portal where students can apply. A standing committee of experts will review each application.
- Current System: Until now, this job was mainly done by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). The AIU is a registered body that issued equivalence certificates for foreign degrees for education and jobs in India.
- Now, the UGC will take over this role through a dedicated regulatory framework.
- This is the first time UGC has formally defined the process of recognising foreign qualifications through notified regulations.
- The move supports the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes internationalisation of Indian education.
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