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The University Grants Commission (UGC) encourages high calibre Indian institutions to apply for twinning arrangements with quality Foreign Educational Institutions. UGC will shortly launch the portal for academic collaboration with foreign higher educational institutions. To read more about the regulations in this space, click here and find the official press release here.

A panel led by the UGC Chairman has reportedly submitted its findings to Ministry of Human Resources Development, which include granting equivalence to foreign degrees even if course duration and entry-level qualifications are different. To read more about some movement on qualification recognition front, click here.

Human Resources Development Minister, Mr Prakash Javadekar announced that the ministry will have a committee headed by an eminent educationist by 22 December this year to draft the National Education Policy (NEP). Media reports on the proposed committee can be found here. Interestingly, the Modi Government is likely to announce progress on education reforms as an achievement in the next federal elections. To read more, click here.

The Government of India will soon launch an online depository for academic awards. It will be a Digital Depository for school learning certificates, degrees and other academic awards of Higher Education Institutions, on the pattern of a Securities Depository. This will make things easier for Australian institutions accepting Indian students. Official press release of the news can be found here.

The premier institutes of India – the Indian Institute of Management - will be working to develop a world class education system in the country. PM Modi reiterated his government's plan to set up 20 world-class universities in the country. Under preliminary plans, the government is expected to identify 10 government and 10 private universities and help them achieve "world-class standards". Find the official press release here.

The Government of India has approved the establishment of an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) at Jammu. IIM’s are the country’s premier institutions delivering high quality education in management. At present, there are nineteen IIMs across India. The decision of having an IIM in the valley will act as a good motivation for the youth of Kashmir. Find the official press release of the announcement here.

With ‘world class’ tag, India’s best universities may have higher fees. If the universities have good faculty student ratio and are under top 25 positions under the NIRF Rankings, then as per media reports they will have certain autonomy over their fee structure. Currently, the fee structure of the private universities in India is way higher than the Government universities. Find media reports here.

India is well represented in the various higher education rankings of the world. India is the second most represented country in the newly expanded Times Higher Education BRICS and Emerging Economies University Rankings, with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) becoming the first Indian institute to break into the top 15. More information on this can be found here. Additionally, IIT Kharagpur has emerged as the only Indian institute in the top 100 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) first edition of a new ranking based on graduate employability. Other Indian institutions QS rankings can be found here.

Assessment and accreditation of higher education institutions (HEIs) in India will soon be based on global standards and practices. For the first time ever, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and key quality networks and agencies from Asia, Europe, America, Australia, UK, Africa and other countries have joined hands to develop a common agenda for international quality assurance of Indian universities. Media reports can be found here.

It is an opportunity for Australia to share expertise on teacher training and innovative delivery methods, not just in India but in neighbouring countries too. UNESCO has released a report stating that South Asia needs to recruit around 15 million new teachers to meet the goal of universal education by 2030. Find media reports here.