India’s University Grants Commission (UGC) has changed its policies to permit Indian universities to conduct biannual student admissions from the 2024-25 academic year. In addition to the previous July-August start, universities will also be able to admit students through a separate January-February intake.

The change is intended to provide improved flexibility for students who miss an admission cycle due to external factors such as delayed exam results, health, or any other personal reasons, and will mean that they no longer have to wait another full year to start their university course.

The UGC believes that this will increase students’ motivation to enter higher education and support India’s goal to increase gross enrolment, as well as leading to better resource utilisation in universities, better international collaborations, and attracting more international students. 

Biannual student admissions are not a mandatory requirement for universities, and each institution can evaluate their resource allocations, infrastructure, human resources, and other necessary support services before taking a decision. 

British Council comments

This is one of a number of changes made by the Indian government over the last couple of years to work towards reaching the ambitions set out in the country’s 2020 National Education Policy. The policy aims to increase the gross enrolment ratio for higher education to 50 per cent by 2035 as well as to reduce the proportion of young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET).

Other notable changes introduced in recent years include establishing foreign branch campuses within India, encouraging Indian universities to set up international branch campuses, promotion of India as a preferred student destination, and increased funding and grants for research and innovation.

This new guideline will help students by cutting down the amount of time they need to wait to enter higher education, which it is hoped will make them more likely to study HE courses. Universities can widen their student base, while increased numbers of graduates will help employers to find necessary human resources. The UGC believes that this will also improve the education eco-system through better utilisation of resources and improved student learning and academic outcomes, while it will also help India to push their agenda on attracting international students and improving the financial outlook for Indian universities. 

This could create both opportunities and challenges for international education providers in the long run, with an impact on student mobility. Lack of access to quality education is one of the key factors that drives Indian students to look elsewhere, but the country does have a number of world-class technological and science universities that currently have very strong competition for admission. If the dual entry cycles lead to an increase in places at these institutions this may have an impact on the number of potential mobile students from India. 

On the other hand, there will be opportunities for research collaborations, resource sharing and international partnerships as a result of increased resource intensity in delivering this change. This may broaden delivery options for universities, potentially adding transnational education, online and other forms of learning in supporting wider student cohorts. Therefore, it is important for UK sector to keep an eye on the possible effect of these policy changes. 

Links

https://www.ugc.gov.in/pdfnews/4864668_Biannual-Admission-HEI.pdf