India, UK Sign Agreement for Mutual Recognition of Higher Education Qualificatio

India and the UK on Thursday signed an MoU on ‘Mutual Recognition of Educational Qualifications’ to facilitate student mobility and better collaboration between higher education institutions of both countries.

The MoU, a part of the UK-India Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP), has been signed between James Bowler, Permanent Secretary, Department of International Trade of the UK, and K Sanjay Murthy, Secretary (Higher Education), Ministry of Education. It will allow the recognition of A-levels and their equivalents, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in India. Additionally, Indian students who graduate from UK universities can now pursue postgraduation or apply for government jobs when they return to their home country. 

Commerce Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam informed that professional degrees in nursing, pharmacy, engineering, and architecture would not be covered in the MoU. 

Two more MoUs to create a task force to provide opportunities for Indian nurses and nursing associates seeking to train and work in the National Health Service (NHS) and to renew a commitment for mutual recognition of the Seafarers’ Certificate of Competency have also been signed. 

The agreement is expected to attract more Indian students to the UK and provide an economic boost. In 2020-2021 the UK welcomed around Indian students to the country.