News & Updates

The human resource development (HRD) ministry on Wednesday said UGC regulations on twinning arrangement with foreign educational institutions has been amended with a thrust on transparency and simplification.

HRD minister Smriti Irani said the 2012 regulation did not result in enough foreign universities showing interest in having twinning arrangement with Indian counterparts. As per the amended regulation, Indian Educational Institutions (IEI) with `A' grade or threshold accreditation should have experience of six years or at least two batches passed out. The minister said considerable procedure simplification of applications will be done now. Applications will be submitted online by the IEI.

Joint degrees will not be allowed. However, name of foreign educational institution can be indicated on the degree. Prescribing of credits from foreign educational institutions shall be issued by them and when jointly signed by IEI shall form part of the transcript. To maintain academic credibility, a minimum duration of collaboration has been specified under one semester for PG degree and two semesters for UG degree.

Irani also announced a scheme for state universities for which professors from universities like Cambridge, Pennsylvania, Yale, Columbia, GeorgiaTech, University of California Berkeley will be invited to spend a year to help them improve curriculum and pedagogy. This is being done under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan.

(ToI)