The United Kingdom and India have agreed on mutual academic qualifications. Meanwhile, signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This is known to be a landmark measure toward the facilitation of students moving across borders for educational purposes and collaboration between higher educational institutions of the signing nations.
James Bowler, UK’s permanent secretary for International trade and India’s higher education secretary K Sanjay Murthi, shook hands for the landmark pact between the two nations with a lot being looked forward to.
It is being termed as a major decision in bilateral cooperation and harmony between India and the United Kingdom. A foresighted vision of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Prime Minister of India during the virtual summit held in May 2021 has brought forward this measure as a ‘comprehensive roadmap’ to 2030.
Besides this, an Enhanced Trade Partnership has also been agreed upon by both the countries indulging in the pact. Thus, forming relationships on educational and commercial grounds.
The MoU so signed between UK and India implies that A-level and their equivalents, undergraduates and the post-graduates, will now be wholly acceptable and well recognised in India except for professional degrees in engineering, pharmacy, medicine and architecture.
Therefore, making it easier for UK nationals to study in India.
Also, it would provide for online courses and the option to check partly in India and United Kingdom also.
Similarly, Indian Senior Secondary School/Pre-University certificates will be regarded as valid for entry into UK’s higher educational institutions.
The ministries look upon the pact to ensure the convenient mobility of students between the two nations. Not just the students, it would strengthen the academic relations between the countries. This would widen the scope of collaborations in fields of research and technological developments in the forthcoming years.
The National Educational Policy of India (NEP) 2020, is thus opening gates for Indian citizens to study in UK.