15 foreign varsities given nod to open India campus: MoS Sukanta Majumdar
New Delhi, Aug 3
The UGC has issued 16 Letters of Intent to 15 Foreign Higher Educational Institutions from Australia, Italy, the US and the UK to set up campuses in Indian cities including Bengaluru, Greater Noida, Gurugram, Mumbai and Chennai, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.
Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar, in a written reply, said the UGC regulatory framework is designed to ensure that the education imparted in India is of the same standard as that offered at the parent campus abroad, while also ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations in India.
These campuses would be governed in accordance with the University Grants Commission (UGC) (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations 2023, said the MoS.
He said the FHEIs proposing to open branch campuses in India have indicated to run programmes in business, economics, accounting, finance, software engineering, data science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, game design, entrepreneurship, innovation, biomedical sciences, among other emerging fields to meet global academic and industry demands.
The UGC has instituted a single-window clearance mechanism and constituted a high-powered Standing Committee to evaluate the proposals for establishment of FHEI campuses in India.
The Committee examines the applications and makes recommendations to the Commission.
Based on these recommendations, UGC grants in-principle approval and issues a Letter of Intent. Only FHEIs ranked within the top 500 globally ranked universities are eligible, and applicants must submit the latest accreditation or quality assurance reports from recognised bodies, he said.
Majumdar said the qualifications awarded by FHEIs under the UGC Regulations shall be recognised and treated as equivalent to any corresponding qualification awarded by Indian Higher Educational Institutions, and no further equivalence from any authority would be required.
He said the government also constituted a 'Facilitation Committee for FHEIs' on 16 December 2025.
The Committee is mandated to assist the FHEIs in the establishment of their campuses in India, after the hand-over of the LoI by UGC.
The Committee also oversees and monitors the academic/financial/governance related aspects vis-a-vis the regulatory mechanisms in India, he said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting development. I moved to India from the US two years ago for work, and I've seen the demand for quality higher education here. This will definitely help bridge the gap between Indian and global academic standards. Hope the collaboration includes faculty exchange programs too!
As a mother of two teenagers, this is very encouraging news. But I have a concern — will these foreign campuses be affordable for the average Indian family, or will they just be another luxury for the elite? The government needs to ensure there's enough scholarship support for deserving students from all backgrounds.
Great to see focus on emerging fields like AI, cybersecurity, and data science. This will really boost our tech ecosystem. However, I hope the UGC has strict monitoring in place — we don't want these campuses to become just degree-selling shops like some private universities in India. Quality and accountability are key.
This is a positive step for international education collaboration. I studied in Australia on a scholarship and always felt India needed more global academic partnerships. The fact that only top-500 ranked universities are eligible ensures quality. Looking forward to seeing how this transforms the Indian education landscape!
Reasonable step in the right direction! But honestly, the real challenge will be faculty recruitment and infrastructure. Foreign universities will need to hire Indian professors who match their global standards, and that's not easy. Also, will these degrees be recognized by Indian employers immediately? Need more clarity on that front.
<
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.