Indian institutions can tie up with foreign varsities for degree programmes: Irani

Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday said Indian universities and colleges can tie up with foreign educational institutions (FEIs) in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes leading to the award of a degree.

"For the first time in the history of our country, the government of India has now allowed institutional tie ups for degree programmes for students across India," Irani said at the fourth convocation of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata at Mohanpur in Nadia.

Indian varsities and colleges, having the highest grade of accreditation/ threshold accreditation, will now be able to apply online to the University Grants Commission (UGC) for starting twinning and collaborative arrangement with quality FEI in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes leading to the award of a degree.

"For undergraduate courses students now have a choice, in conjunction with their mother institute in India, to pursue two semesters overseas in a FEI and one semester in post graduate courses while still tied to their mother institute here," Irani said.

The degree will be awarded by the Indian educational institutions alone and joint degrees will not be permitted.

The students will get certificate where the name of parent and foreign institutions would be mentioned, Irani said.

A total of 121 students were awarded degrees at the convocation.

--IANS

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Sirshendu PanthBureau Chief, IANS, Kolkata.

Indo-Asian News Service