UGC mandates equivalency certificate for foreign-educated students seeking jobs, studies in India

For the first time, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has introduced regulations to grant equivalency recognition of foreign degrees and qualifications as being at par with Indian ones. 

Under these new regulations, students who have studied at foreign universities or completed their education up to the 12th grade abroad will now need to obtain an Equivalency Certificate in order to pursue higher education, PhDs, or research in India. To facilitate this, UGC has launched an online portal where students can apply for the certificate.

According to the new UGC regulations, students educated abroad must submit an online application through the portal and pay a prescribed fee. A standing committee appointed by the UGC will examine each application. This committee will verify what and how the student studied abroad, how many academic credits they earned, and whether their qualifications match the credit requirements and subjects of the program they wish to join in an Indian university or college.

For students who have studied abroad up to class 12  and want to pursue undergraduate studies in India, at least 12 years of education in a foreign country is required. Additionally, if the medium of instruction in the foreign program was not English or a constitutionally recognised Indian language, students will have to provide an English-language transcript.

However, as per the UGC rules, if a student has studied under a dual-degree or MoU-based program between an Indian university and a foreign university, they will not require an equivalency certificate. Similarly, students studying at campuses of foreign universities established in India are also exempt from this requirement.

The equivalency certificate issued by UGC will be valid for pursuing studies or research at any Indian university central, deemed, or private as well as for job applications. 

This will be particularly helpful for foreign-educated candidates applying for government or corporate jobs in India, where verification of foreign degrees is often necessary.

UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar stated that this new transparent, tech-based mechanism will significantly benefit students who have studied abroad from school to college level by easing the process of pursuing higher education and employment in India without delays.

According to the UGC Secretary, the mechanism developed by the commission will allow the verification of academic qualifications programs and degrees from more than 200 countries. If a student is not satisfied with the outcome of their application, they may file an appeal within 13 days, which will then be reviewed by a designated review committee.

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