UGC rolls out new rules for easy recognition of degrees from foreign varsities

The rules are expected to significantly benefit Indian students who study abroad and seek to continue their academic or professional journey in India. However, the regulations titled Regulations, 2025, do not apply to professional qualifications in disciplines such as Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Law, and Architecture - areas governed by respective statutory councils in India. The UGC has clarified that equivalence will be granted to qualifications awarded by foreign institutions that are duly recognised in their home countries. The UGC allows for the recognition of qualifications obtained from offshore campuses of foreign educational institutions, provided if they meet specific criteria. The regulations which will streamline the process of recognising and granting equivalence to academic qualifications obtained from foreign educational institutions also prescribe foreign school-level qualifications for admission into undergraduate and equivalent programmes in Indian institutions, subject to prescribed conditions.