UGC drafts regulations on setting up of foreign HEIs campuses in India

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a draft on setting up and operation of campuses of foreign higher educational institutions in India regulations, 2023. According to the draft guidelines, foreign universities and colleges which rank globally can set up their campuses in India and decide their own admission process and fee structure. However, the educational institutions will not be allowed to offer online courses. The commission has invited feedback on the regulations by January 18, 2023.

“The draft University Grants Commission (Setting up and Operation of campuses of foreign higher educational institutions in India) regulations 2023, is hereby placed in the public domain. UGC invites comments/ suggestions/ feedback from all stakeholders on the aforesaid draft regulations, and the same may be sent to ugcforeigncollaboration@gmail.com up to 18th January, 2023,” said UGC in an official notice.

The commission added that several initiatives are being taken for the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Since the policy envisions that top universities in the world will be facilitated to operate in India, the UGC has drafted enabling regulations facilitating the setting up of campuses of foreign higher education institutions in the country, it said.

The campus of foreign higher educational institutions can evolve their admission process and criteria to admit domestic and foreign students. It can decide the fee structure, “which should be transparent and reasonable.” The guidelines require the foreign institutions to make the prospectus available on their website at least 60 days before the commencement of admissions, including fee structure, refund policy, number of seats in a programme, eligibility qualifications, and admission process. UGC has allowed the foreign institutions to appoint the faculty on their own.

Further, the UGC guidelines talked about the procedure for approval; appointment of faculty; annual report on programmes, number of students; permissions etc.