The University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced the “UGC (Recognition and Grant of Equivalence to Qualifications Obtained from Foreign Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2025,” effective April 4, 2025. These regulations aim to streamline the process of recognizing and granting equivalence to academic qualifications earned from foreign institutions.
Key highlights:
- Online application portal:
- Applicants can submit their requests for equivalence certificates through a dedicated online portal.
- A standing committee will review applications within 10 working days, with the UGC communicating decisions within 15 days.
- Eligibility criteria:
- The foreign institution must be recognized in its home country.
- The program’s entry requirements should be comparable to similar programs in India.
- The applicant must have completed the program per the foreign institution’s standards.
Exclusions:
Professional degrees in fields such as medicine, pharmacy, nursing, law, and architecture are excluded, as they fall under the jurisdiction of respective statutory councils in India.
This initiative aligns with the National Education Policy 2020’s goal of internationalizing higher education and provides a transparent, technology-driven mechanism for recognizing foreign qualifications.
For detailed information, refer to the official UGC notification: University Grants Commission.