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Universities and higher education institutions will add 25% more places for international students: UGC

According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), higher education institutions can now allocate up to 25% of their extra seats to overseas students while using an open admissions policy.

Earlier this month, the UGC made the draught “Guidelines for Admission and Supernumerary Seats of International Students in Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programmes in Higher Educational Institutions in India” available to the public for comment.

“HEIs may create up to 25 pc supernumerary seats for international students, over and above of their total sanctioned enrolment for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The decision regarding supernumerary seats has to be carried out by the concerned higher educational institutions as per specific guidelines and regulations issued by the regulatory bodies considering the infrastructure, faculty and other requirements,” the guidelines said.

“Indian HEIs may admit international students based on the equivalence of entry qualification held by them. The equivalence is to be determined by the UGC or any other body recognised by UGC for such purpose or the concerned regulatory bodies of the country. HEIs may adopt a transparent admission process for admitting the international students,” the guidelines added.

The universities would be able to pick their admission policy, according to UGC Chairman Jagadesh Kumar, when discussing the admission requirements for international students.

“Universities are free to choose the admission policy for foreign students. UGC has not stipulated any such entrance examination for admitting foreign students,” Kumar said.

According to the UGC, international students enrolled in exchange programmes, through memorandums of understanding (MoU) between institutions, or through agreements between the government of India and other nations will not be eligible for the 25% extra seats reserved for international students.

“Depending on the availability of infrastructure and qualified faculty, efforts should be made to distribute these 25 pc seats among all departments, schools, centres or any other academic unit of the higher educational institution. wherever possible. The supernumerary seats shall be exclusively meant for the international students both in the undergraduate and post-graduate programmes.

“A seat remained unfilled in the supernumerary category, shall not be allocated to anyone other than an international student. International students in this context shall be defined as the one who shall possess a foreign passport,” the guidelines read.

According to the UGC, the provision for adding extra seats for international students must be approved by one or more statutory authorities of HEIs in accordance with any rules or regulations that may be periodically published by regulatory organisations.

The relevant statutory bodies will be in charge of managing the extra seats in professional and technical institutes.

“Supernumerary seats for Ph.D. programmes shall be governed by the regulations notified by the UGC from time to time in this regard. All HEIs shall have an ‘Office for International Students’. Year-wise details like country, number, programme/subject, duration etc, regarding the international students in the HEI be maintained by it and be made available on their website.

“All details regarding number of seats available for international students in each programme, fee prescribed for the same, admission process, eligibility conditions etc. shall be made available on the website of the HEI,” the guidelines read.

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