India has one of the world's largest higher education systems, ranked second in terms of higher education network. In India, the word 'higher education' refers to tertiary level education provided after 12 years of study (10 years of elementary education and 2 years of secondary education). The overall higher education ecosystem in India consists of over 1000 universities and 42,000 colleges that provide great education.
Indian higher education is structured in three layers: universities, colleges, and courses. Universities and colleges work together with regulatory and accreditation authorities to provide standardized education. Indian higher education system is classified as public universities, deemed to be universities, institutions funded by MOE and private universities. Public universities are funded by government and they are classified as central universities, state universities.
In India, public universities are educational institutions funded and supported by the state or central government that provide low tuition costs to citizens.They are established through legislation enacted by Parliament or state assemblies. The UGC recognizes these universities that follow the laws and provides direct financial support.
A deemed university is a higher education institution that has been awarded university status by the Indian government. Following the Commission's recommendation, the government issues this pronouncement, which is then published in the Official Gazette. Deemed universities are accorded this designation because they are thought to be performing at a very high level in a specific field of study. They have the same academic standing and privileges as a university, including the authority to offer degrees at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctorate levels.
Private universities in India are institutions that are primarily self-financed and so controlled by private entities. These are established through an Act of the State Legislatures. It includes both specialist institutions and multidisciplinary research universities. These universities don’t not run on central or state funds. A private university in India, however, cannot operate without the consent of the University Grants Commission (UGC). UGC-recognized private universities must follow the norms and regulations established by the UGC. Recognition needs to be renewed on a regular basis.
Indian higher education is evaluated by The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) The NAAC assesses and accredits higher education institutions using a series of parameters. NIRF focuses on ranking institutions using a variety of performance criteria and outcomes. NAAC assesses quality, while NIRF provides a competitive rating mechanism for Indian institutions.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) also releases a list of fake universities to protect students from being cheated by institutions that offer fake degrees.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) allows degree programs to help students gain diverse skills and encourage academic collaboration. The UGC allows students to pursue two degree programs simultaneously, such as two bachelor's programs, two master's programs, or a diploma program and an undergraduate degree. This is part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes multiple pathways to learning. UGC has also announced that degrees earned through distance learning and online learning modes will be deemed equivalent to those received through traditional learning modes. The only prerequisite for this is that all such universities and higher education institutions providing the degrees must be recognized by UGC underset regulations.
The students who wish to pursue higher education through ODL and Online mode can find the year-wise recognition status of universities recognized/entitled to offer programmes through ODL and Online mode along with the names of programmes on the UGC website.
India, one of the world's largest higher education systems, accepts students from a variety of countries. The most popular courses among students are arts, humanities, social sciences, science, engineering, technology, medicine, dentistry, law, and commerce/business. Since opportunities to attract overseas students, scholars, and funding are increasing, many Indian Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) are pledging to broaden their international reach. In order to facilitate the internationalisation of Indian HEIs, the University Grants Commission has framed the guidelines for admission and creation of supernumerary seats for international students.
India launched the Study In India program in 2018 to attract international students to Indian higher education institutions. The Study In India (SII) program intends to attract half a million overseas students for higher education in India by 2047. The Study in India program has partnered with more than 200 colleges to offer over 2,600 courses. The platform provides information on all aspects of the topic, such as visa requirements, registration guidelines for international students, and fee concessions. India also offers various scholarship facilities for international students to study in govt funded higher education institutions. Private universities, deemed to be Universities also offer scholarships/ financial aid to international students to study in India.
Every higher education institution in India has international offices to support international students and scholars and to facilitate the internationalization of higher education. International offices coordinate the welcome and support of foreign students. They also assist with pre-application assistance, entry requirements, accommodation, and scholarships, as well as information on admission processes, language skills, and other organizational issues.
International students can apply to higher education institutions in India through a variety of channels. To public institutions students can apply through DASA, Study in India Portal, student exchange programs, and to private and deemed to be universities students can apply directly through the website.
Indian University Admission Process: Many undergraduate and post graduate courses have admission windows that open in February and close in June, just before the academic year begins. Some colleges begin the application process as early as October, with entrance examinations conducted as early as December. Students are required to check the selected university's website or connect with the admissions office of the institutions to confirm application deadlines.
International students seeking admission to central universities, state universities, and public institutions should avoid using the services of third-party agents or admissions service organizations. The University has not allowed any agency, individual, or agent to act on its behalf or charge any fee to prospective students. These universities maintain a separate International Student Advisory Board under the International Student Advisor to advise and facilitate international students.
For engineering, architecture, and planning programs, international students can apply through DASA. DASA stands for Direct Admission of Students Abroad. It provides a platform for foreign nationals, Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), to secure admission into undergraduate program in engineering, architecture and planning offered by Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs), Schools of Planning and Architecture (SPAs). Applicants can register online through the DASA portal and submit their application form along with necessary documents.
Admissions requirements at a private university may vary. Admissions decisions are determined based on high school grades or performance in entrance examinations. For information on admission requirements and procedures international students can visit the university website or can take services from the third-party agents or admission service organizations. Private universities also maintain an International Office to advise and facilitate international students.