UGC, AICTE joint circular asks Indian students not to go to Pak for higher education

The Centre has said that Pakistani academic degrees will not be valid anymore and students are not to go to the neighbouring country to pursue any kind of studies.

In a joint circular, the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) asked Indian students not to go to Pakistan for higher studies, failing which, they would not be eligible to pursue higher studies or find a job in India. The notification comes within a month of the higher education regulator warning Indian students planning to pursue higher studies in China that it did not recognise "degree courses done only in online mode without prior approval."

The UGC and the AICTE have urged students not to enroll themselves in any educational institution in Pakistan,

The circular, however, makes an exception for Pakistani migrants who have been granted Indian citizenship.

But the advisory against travelling to China for education came after the Chinese Government suspended all visas since November 2020 because of Covid-19. 

"All concerned are advised not to travel to Pakistan for pursuing higher education. Any Indian national or Overseas Citizen of India who intends to take admission to any degree college or educational institution of Pakistan shall not be eligible for seeking employment or higher studies in India on the basis of such educational qualifications (in any subject) acquired in Pakistan," says the advisory. 

"However, migrants and their children who have acquired higher education degrees in Pakistan and have been awarded citizenship by India would be eligible for seeking employment in India after obtaining security clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs," it added. 

According to AICTE Chairman Anil Sahasrabudhe, Indian students need to be advised to which institutions and countries they should travel for education so that they don't land up with a degree without parity with Indian regulations.

On his part, UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar said, "UGC and AICTE issue such public notices in the interest of Indian students who would like to pursue higher studies outside the country." 

"In the recent past, we have seen how our students had to face difficulties because they could not go back to the foreign countries to continue their studies," he said.

The UGC issued an advisory in 2019 against studying in institutes in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.