Foreign universities opening branches in India not allowed to offer online classes: UGC

Foreign universities will need the University Grants Commission's nod to set up campuses in India and the initial approval will be for 10 years, UGC chairman M Jagadesh Kumar said on Thursday.

He also stressed that foreign varsities with campuses in the country can only offer full-time programmes in physical mode and not online classes or distance learning.

These universities will have the freedom to devise their own admission process and fee structure, Kumar said as the UGC on Thursday announced the draft regulations for "Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India".

He added that foreign varsities will also have to ensure quality of education imparted at their Indian campuses is on par with their main campus.

On matters related to funds and funding, he said that cross-border movement of funds will be according to the Foreign the Exchange Management Act. The final norms be notified by the month's end after taking into account feedback from stakeholders, Kumar said and added that the approval granted to foreign varsities will be renewed in the ninth year subject to meeting of certain conditions.