Hyderabad: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced new rules to recognize foreign educational qualifications in India. These rules are called the “University Grants Commission (Recognition and Grant of Equivalence to Qualifications obtained from Foreign Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2025.”
According to the new guidelines, a foreign qualification must be officially recognized in its home country and follow the academic standards of that country. The entry requirements for the course abroad should also be similar to those in India. Foreign universities must apply online through a system set up by the UGC to begin the recognition process.
After an application is submitted, a Standing Committee will review it. They will check if the course duration is equal to what is expected in India. If there are small differences, the committee will compare the number of credits required for the course. A difference of up to 10% in credits will be allowed.
The review will also look at other parts of the course like the required background subjects, core subjects, elective and lab courses, and cross-disciplinary subjects. The committee will consider how much time students spend in class, on self-study, and in hands-on learning experiences.
Other important areas of evaluation include thesis work, internships, and projects—especially if these are part of similar Indian programs. The course will be judged based on how well it matches India’s academic structure and learning outcomes.
UGC Chairman Professor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar explained that many students return to India with foreign degrees and need a clear and fair process to get their qualifications recognized. He said the UGC has created a transparent, technology-based system to make this easier. This change also supports the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which aims to make India a global education hub.
However, the new rules do not apply to professional degrees like Medicine, Law, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Architecture. These fields are regulated by separate professional councils in India.
Also, students who earned foreign degrees through agreements between India and other countries or through UGC-approved joint programs don’t need to apply for equivalence. These include programs under the UGC’s 2022 and 2023 regulations on joint degrees and foreign campuses in India.
For such students, the UGC may directly issue an equivalence certificate after a fee is paid, without needing a review by the Standing Committee.
