Are UK degrees accepted in India?

The benefits of studying in the UK compared to India

One can observe stark difference in the Indian and British education system but a new equivalence rule has turned the tables drastically. Whether it be foundation, bachelor’s, master’s, PhD or DBA, UK degrees hold an international recognition and are often preferred over local educational qualification by various employers globally.

In India, a Master’s degree from the United Kingdom, which thousands of Indian students yearn for every year, is widely accepted or rather preferred by various employers. The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) will soon grant equivalence, officials have said, to one-year postgraduate degree courses offered overseas. This would place those degrees on a par with India’s two-year master’s degree courses. This will primarily help students who have finished or are doing a one-year master’s degree programme at universities in the UK.

Almost all British degrees follow a credits-based evaluation procedure which states that “If the credits are equivalent to what we provide, we will be capable of recognition” which states that most of the foreign degrees work in a hand-to-hand relationship. Regardless of the location you pursue your degree from, if you are able to prove the credits earned during your studies, it will definitely hold an equivalence internationally and hence UK degrees would be accepted in India and vice versa.

This is an extremely advantageous factor that allows students to earn international exposure and experience the world through a global lens. This methodology defines a clearer picture of the equivalence structure and in turn allows students to compare their qualifications globally. It’s undoubtedly going to be useful. It would draw many trained and well-experienced children who will be able to appear in entry examinations and make a career in India. It is also going to be good for students planning to settle in India after their studies.

Number of Indian students opting for international degrees has been on an exponential rise Data from Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) reveals that the number of Indian students has increased by 28% in the academic year 2018-2018 when compared to the academic year 2016-2017. The Association of Indian Universities (AIU), a government-assisted organisation responsible for awarding degrees/diplomas with academic equivalence, does not offer equivalence to the UK Master’s program. AIU has not given equivalence to Master Degree programs which are less than 2 years in length of international universities and because all UK Masters programs are of 1-year duration, one year of UK Masters is a meaningless degree in India for all academic purposes.