The Commission has established rules allowing international students to be admitted to undergraduate and graduate studies at Higher Education Institutions in India, as well as for the introduction of supernumerary seats.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has established the rules for admission and the creation of supernumerary seats for overseas students in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in HEIs in India with the aim of promoting the internationalisation of Indian HEIs. UGC sent out guidelines to all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on September 30, 2022, via letter D.O.No.F.1-1/2022 (CPP-11), for implementation.
Under the criteria, higher education institutions (HEIs) are allowed to set aside up to 25% of their total sanctioned enrollment for undergraduate and graduate programmes as supernumerary seats for international students. By following these recommendations, international students would be able to enter Indian higher education institutions more easily and profitably. Additionally, a conducive atmosphere will be created to draw foreign students to Indian HEIs and establish India as a top choice for foreign students.
The following rules for overseas students’ admission and the creation of supernumerary seats have been established by the UGC.
1. International students may be admitted to Indian HEIs in accordance with their equivalency of entry qualifications. The university will decide what the equivalency is. The UCC, any other organisation approved by the UGC for this purpose, or the relevant national regulatory agencies. HEIs may use an open admissions procedure to accept international applicants.
2. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have the authority to allocate up to 25% of their total authorised enrollment for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes as supernumerary seats for overseas students.
3. International students enrolled in exchange programmes, through Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) between institutions, or through agreements between the Government of India and other nations shall not be eligible for the 25% supernumerary seats reserved for foreign students.
4. Whenever feasible, attempts should be made to allocate these 25% of seats across all departments, schools, centres, or other academic units of the higher education institutions, contingent upon the availability of infrastructure and qualified teachers.
5. International students only may occupy the supernumerary seats in the undergraduate and graduate programmes. If a spot in the supernumerary category is left empty, it will only be given to overseas students. In this sense, a person with a foreign passport is considered an international student.
6. In compliance with instructions and regulations periodically released by the regulatory organisations, the HEIs’ statutory bodies should approve the establishment of supernumerary seats for overseas students.
7. The corresponding statutory organisations in professional and technical institutes will oversee the supernumerary seats.
8. The regulations that are periodically announced by the UGC will control supernumerary seats for PhD programmes.
9. There must be a “Office for International Students” in every HEI. Information about the number, country, programme, subject, length, and other year-specific details of international students enrolled in HEIs should be kept up to date and posted on their website.
10. All information pertaining to the number of seats available for international students in each programme, the cost associated with those seats, the admissions procedure, the requirements for eligibility, etc., will be posted on the HEI website.
11. The Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) should abide by all current regulations and guidelines issued by the Indian government concerning visas, Foreign Regional Registration Offices (FRRO), etc.
