The new policy will strengthen alliances between Indian and foreign academic institutions so that students may have additional choices, improved curricula and better opportunities.

Chancellor of Lovely Professional University, Mr. Ashok Mittal has hailed UGC’s new policy on foreign collaboration. Indian universities have long awaited this change that is going to make foreign collaboration workable. The previous policy impeded collaborations with foreign universities. In this new policy one of the major reforms is that processing of proposals by Indian and foreign universities has been made time bound to within 60 working days.

Previous rules barred Indian institutions from directly applying for a tie up with a foreign university. But foreign institutes could seek permission from the UGC for academic collaborations. The amended rules will allow Indian institutions to apply online on the UGC website for collaborations with foreign universities to offer UG and PG courses. Under this new policy students will also have the opportunity to study in foreign universities and take home Indian degrees made more valuable by carrying the name and insignia of a foreign university. The transcripts carrying the credits earned in India and abroad will be signed jointly by both partner universities.

This step will strengthen alliances between Indian and foreign academic institutions so that students may have additional choices, improved curricula and better opportunities. Under this policy the recruitment of foreign students in Indian universities will also increase. The changed norms could weed out the growing number of institutes offering bogus foreign degrees and certificates to hundreds of unsuspecting students each year.