The Union Cabinet in its meeting held today cleared ex post facto approval for the MoU between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on mutual recognition of academic qualifications signed on April 25.

Mutual Recognition of Qualifications between India and the UK aims to promote academic collaboration and student mobility. 

The request from the UK side to grant recognition to their One Year Masters Programme was considered, and during the meeting between the Education Ministers of the two countries held on 16 December 2020 in New Delhi, a decision was taken to set up a joint task force for this purpose. 

The first meeting was held on 04th February 2021 and subsequently, after detailed deliberations and negotiations, both sides agreed on the draft MoU.

The MoU aims to facilitate the mutual recognition of educational qualifications, periods of study undertaken, documents related to academic degrees/qualifications and accreditation by educational institutions within the two countries. 

Professional degrees like Engineering, Medicine, Nursing and Para-Medical Education, Pharmacy, Law, and Architecture are out of the purview of this MoU. It will also facilitate the establishment of Joint/Dual degree courses between Higher Education Institutions, one of our objectives under NEP 2020 for the Intel-nationalization of Education.

This MoU will promote the bilateral exchange of information about the educational structure, programs and standards and increase mobility of students and professionals between the two countries. It will also encourage other areas of cooperation in the education sector, the development of study programs as mutually agreed upon by the Parties.

This MoU shall recognize equivalence in accordance with parity with regard to the acceptability of qualifications as approved under the national policy, law, rules and regulations of the two countries.