PM Modi Clears MoU Between India And UK On Educational Courses

PM Narendra Modi has granted ex post facto approval for the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) between India and the UK on mutual recognition of the academic qualifications, as signed on 25th April 2022. MoU was envisaged in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. It facilitates the creation of dual and joint degree courses between the higher education institutions in both countries.

Thanks to the mutual recognition of qualifications, India aims to promote student mobility and academic collaboration with institutions in the UK. It was the United Kingdom that made the request to grant their one-year master’s program recognition. In a meeting held on 16th December 2020 in Delhi, education ministers of both countries created a joint task force for the same.

The first meeting was organized on 4th February 2021, which was followed by detailed negotiations and deliberations. After this, both countries managed to agree on the draft MoU. With it, the countries will not only be able to facilitate the recognition of academic qualifications, but also accreditation by educational institutions, documents of the academic degrees, and periods of study undertaken in both countries.

It is important to note that the MoU purview doesn’t cover professional degrees, such as nursing, engineering, para-medical and nursing education, architecture, law, and pharmacy. The MoU aims to increase the mobility of professionals and students and promote the bilateral information exchange between India and the UK. The MoU will also encourage other cooperation aspects in the education sector and create study programs that are mutually agreed upon by the countries. It will recognize equivalent as per the acceptability of qualifications approved under the policies, rules, regulations, and laws of the two countries.