25% extra seats, no entrance test for foreign students: UGC’s plan to increase international outreach | Education News,The Indian Express
According to Ministry of External Affairs' data, a total of 23,439 foreign students arrived in India in 2021. However, the number used to higher in pre-pandemic years.
Universities and higher education institutions across the country will now be allowed to create up to 25 per cent supernumerary seats for foreign students in their undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) programmes, UGC chairman Jagadesh Kumar has told PTI.
There will be no entrance tests for these admissions, Kumar said, adding that the decision was taken at a meeting of the University Grants Commission (UGC) held last week to discuss “internationalisation of UG and PG programmes in India.” The supernumerary seats will be created over and above the total sanctioned strength and the decision regarding these seats will be taken by concerned higher educational institutions (HEIs) according to specific guidelines and regulations issued by the regulatory bodies considering the infrastructure, faculty and other requirements.
“Indian HEIs may admit international students based on the equivalence of entry qualification held by them. The equivalence is to be determined by 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,” Kumar told PTI.
“HEIs may create up to 25 per cent supernumerary seats for international students, over and above of their total sanctioned enrolment for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
“The decision regarding 25 per cent supernumerary seats has to be carried out by the concerned higher educational institutions as per specific guidelines/regulations issued by the regulatory bodies considering the infrastructure, faculty and other requirements,” he added.
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