The University Grant Commission (UGC) has recently issued regulations allowing foreign universities that rank among the top 500 globally to establish branch campuses in India. These regulations come shortly after Western Sydney University in Australia announced its intention to set up an independent campus in Bangalore.

Here are the key points from the UGC regulations:

1. Internationally acclaimed universities, ranking among the top 500, can establish their branches in India.


2. These universities can independently manage their admissions and set their fee structures.


3. They are also allowed to transfer funds back to their main campuses.


4. Multiple universities can jointly establish campuses in India, provided each of them fulfills the eligibility criteria.


5. A foreign university can open multiple campuses in India, but each campus requires a separate application to the commission.


6. International faculty members teaching at the Indian campuses are required to stay in India for at least one semester.


7. The processing time for applications by the standing committee has been extended from 45 days to 60 days.


8. Foreign universities are prohibited from opening learning or study centers, or franchises that could act as representative offices of the parent university to conduct promotional activities for their programs.


9. They must get approval from the commission before introducing any new program on their Indian campus.


10. No programs can be offered online or in Open and Distance Learning modes. However, up to 10% of the program requirements can be delivered online.


11. Foreign institutions are exempted from paying any annual fees to the UGC, except for the one-time application fees.


12. They are expected to establish their campuses using their own resources.


13. They may also offer scholarships and fee concessions to Indian students on their Indian campuses based on merit or need.

These regulations are in line with the National Education Policy, 2020, which proposes to allow top global universities to operate in India. However, similar attempts in the past have faced opposition from various political parties.