Draft Norms announced by UGC for Foreign Universities

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?  
• What is the UGC?
• What are the Objectives of UGC? 
• What are the Draft Norms announced by the UGC? 
• What is the need for allowing Foreign Universities to set-up Campuses in India?    

Why in news?  

• The University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced draft norms for facilitating foreign universities and educational institutions to set up campuses in India which allow them autonomy in decision making. 
• The final norms will be notified by the end of the month after feedback from all stakeholders.  

What is the UGC?

• The University Grants Commission of India is a statutory body under the provisions of UGC Act, 1956.
• It is responsible for coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of higher education.
• It provides recognition to universities in India, and disburses funds to such recognized universities and college. 
• Nodal Ministry: Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education

What are the Objectives of UGC?

• Promoting and coordinating university education.
• Determining and maintaining standards of teaching, examination and research in universities.
• Framing regulations on minimum standards of education.
• Monitoring developments in the field of collegiate and university education; disbursing grants to the universities and colleges.
• Serving as a vital link between the Union and State governments and institutions of higher learning.
  • Advising the Central and State governments on the measures necessary for the improvement of university education.

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What are the Draft Norms announced by the UGC? 

• University Grants commission chief M Jagadesh Kumar has stated draft regulations for foreign universities setting up campuses in India.
• The draft includes the following guidelines – 
• Criteria – 
  • A foreign university with a rank among the top 500 global rankings or a foreign educational institution of repute in home jurisdiction can apply to the UGC to set up a campus in India.
• Application Process – 
  • The application will be considered by a standing committee appointed by the UGC which will submit its recommendations within 45 days after examining the institution’s credibility. 
  • Subsequently, within 45 days, the UGC may grant in-principle approval to the foreign institution to set up campuses in India within two years. 
  • The initial approval will be for 10 years, which can be extended.
• Reasonable Fees – 
  • Such a campus can evolve its own admission process and criteria to admit domestic and foreign students. 
  • It will also have autonomy to decide its fee structure, and will face no caps that are imposed on Indian institutions. 
  • The fee should be “reasonable and transparent”.
• Mode of Teaching – 
  • It will also have autonomy to recruit faculty and staff from India and abroad. 
  • The courses to be offered cannot be in online and open and distance learning mode.
  • The qualifications awarded to the students in the Indian campus should have equivalence with those awarded by the institutions in their country of origin.
• Fund Management – 
  • Foreign universities will be allowed to repatriate funds to parent campuses. 
  • Cross-border movement of funds and maintenance of Foreign Currency Accounts, mode of payments, remittance, repatriation, and sale of proceeds, if any, will be as per the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) 1999 and its Rules.

What is the need for allowing Foreign Universities to set-up Campuses in India? 

• The UGC chief pointed out that in 2022 over 4.5 lakh Indian students went abroad to study, leading to outflow of estimated $28-30 billion.
• Allowing foreign universities to set-up campuses in India will also ensure that all our students — there are around 40 million pursuing higher education — have access to global quality education.

The ideal of setting up foreign universities’ campuses in India is also mentioned in the National Education Policy 2020.

Q1) What is the main role of UGC? 

Determining and maintaining standards of teaching, examination and research in universities. Framing regulations on minimum standards of education. Monitoring developments in the field of collegiate and university education; disbursing grants to the universities and colleges.

Q2) What is the purpose of National Education Policy?

The policy provides for reforms at all levels of education from school to higher education. NEP aims to increase the focus on strengthening teacher training, reforming the existing exam system, early childhood care and restructuring the regulatory framework of education.

Source: UGC norms for foreign universities  |  Indian Express   |  The Hindu