The University Grants Commission (UGC) has extended the deadline for comments, suggestions, and feedback on the draught for the establishment and operation of campuses of foreign higher educational institutions (FHEIs) in India once more. According to the most recent update, the deadline has been extended to February 20 due to requests from stakeholders. Previously, the deadline for such submissions was tomorrow, February 3, and before that, it was January 18.

“In view of the requests being received from the stakeholders to extend the last date for submitting comments/suggestions/feedback on the aforesaid draft Regulations, the last date is hereby further extended to 20th February 2023,” reads the notice. The Commission has further informed that the comments, suggestions, or feedback should be sent to ugcforeigncollaboration@gmail.com.

With the help of this new regulation, foreign higher education institutions will be able to establish campuses in the country after receiving approval from the UGC. According to UGC chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar, in order to establish campuses in India, FHEIs must meet specific requirements.

According to the UGC guidelines on foreign universities, one of the main criteria is that the university be ranked in the top 500 of the overall or subject-specific global rankings. The commission will periodically cross-check and determine this ranking. Furthermore, the FHEI applicant should be a well-known institution in their home country.

The UGC had previously issued guidelines stating that applicant universities must make their prospectus available to students. On their website, the information brochure or prospectus should include information on the number of seats available in each programme, the fee structure, the eligibility criteria, the admissions procedure, and the refund policy.

The educational prospectus must be available at least 60 days before the admission process begins. Foreign universities with campuses in India can offer full-time programmes in offline mode only, UGC said. Meaning that there will be no online or distance learning available to candidates in these specific institutions. The applicant universities which fulfill all the criteria set by the commission will get the initial approval for 10 years. It will be renewed in the ninth year only after the meeting of certain conditions.