In a rush to acquire fancy foreign degrees from the comforts of their homes, students and parent community in India are falling prey to dubious scamsters, which include many prominent Edtech companies, who sell programs of relatively unknown international universities in India. Taking the right step, University Grants Commission (UGC) has cautioned students, and warned edtech companies/colleges offering degrees in collaborative arrangements with foreign universities.
A public notice issued on December 12, 2023 by UGC Secretary Manish Joshi, said that none of these degrees will be valid and cautioned students against taking admission in such courses. Very often MBA and other management programs are the first to be offered under such dubious arrangements. MBAUniverse.com presents a report on this important issue.
Regulations governing Foreign Higher Education Institutions in India
To regulate foreign higher education institutions in India, UGC has notified ‘Academic Collaboration between Indian and Foreign Higher Education Institutions to offer Twinning Programme, Joint Degree, Dual Degree Programmes Regulations, 2022’ and the ‘Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India Regulations, 2023’. All Foreign Higher Education Institutions in India are expected to operate under the purview of these regulations.
“It is for the information of the general public and all concerned stakeholders that in the exercise of its powers given under the UGC Act, 1956 (as amended); UGC has notified the University Grants Commission (Academic Collaboration between Indian and Foreign Higher Education Institutions to offer Twinning Programme, Joint Degree, Dual Degree Programmes) Regulations, 2022 and University Grants Commission (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023,” said the notification.
Many Indian EdTech & Colleges facilitating Foreign Degrees
In a rush to acquire fancy foreign degrees from the comforts of their homes, students and parent community in India are falling prey to Edtech companies and Indian Universities/Colleges who sell programs of relatively unknown international universities in India.
Taking cognizance of this unfortunate trend, UGC Secretary Manish Joshi said "It has been observed that many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and colleges have entered into collaborative agreements with foreign-based educational institutions or providers not recognised by the commission and have been facilitating the issuance of foreign degrees to the students."
Secretary Mr Joshi added, "Any such kind of collaboration or arrangement is not recognised by the UGC and, accordingly, the degrees issued subsequent to such collaboration arrangement are also not recognised by the commission."
Mr. Joshi said it has also come to the UGC's notice that some edtech companies are advertising in newspapers, social media and television, offering degree and diploma programmes in online mode in association with some foreign universities and institutions.
"Such a franchisee arrangement is not permissible and any such programme or degree shall not have UGC recognition. Action will also be taken against all the defaulting edtech companies as well as the HEIs under applicable regulations," Mr. Joshi added.
Students/Parents should not fall prey; Copy of UGC Public Notice, being published by MBAUniverse.com for Student Community
Taking the right step, University Grants Commission (UGC) has cautioned students, and warned edtech companies/colleges offering degrees in collaborative arrangements with foreign universities. "Students and the general public are advised to exercise due caution and any enrolment in such courses will be at their own risk," Mr. Joshi added.
All MBA, Executive MBA, BBA and related management programs that are offered without UGC approval:
- Lack recognition for pursing Higher Education in India and Abroad
- Often offer poor quality Curriculum
- Online learning does not support effective management education
- Often recruiters also question the validity of such degrees and do not consider for promotions
Copy of UGC Public Notice is being published by MBAUniverse.com for the benefit of Student Community – as below:
As often MBA and other management programs are the first to be offered under such dubious arrangements, MBAUniverse.com hopes that students and parent community will pay heed to this UGC notification and will not fall prey to scamsters, which include some of the big EdTech names too.
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