Parliament Question: Scheme to make India a Global Hub for Education

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 315 ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026 Scheme to make India a Global Hub for Education †315. Shri Ramvir Singh Bidhuri:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government proposes to formulate any scheme to make India a global hub for education, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether foreign institutions are being allowed to open campuses in India under the said scheme, if so, the details thereof;

(c) the number of such campuses of foreign institutions proposed to be opened in the National Capital Territory of Delhi along with the National Capital Region;

(d) the number of such campuses likely to become operational by the academic session of 2026-27; and

(e) the details of subjects likely to be taught at the said campuses along with their proposed structure? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) to (e): As per the provisions of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, India is to be promoted as a global study destination providing premium education at affordable costs. In line with the vision of NEP 2020, two enabling regulations have been issued by the Government:

• University Grants Commission (UGC) (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations 2023, and • International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) (Setting up and Operation of International Branch Campuses and Offshore Education Centres) Regulations, 2022.

University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued 14 Letters of Intent (LoIs) to Foreign Higher Educational Institutions (FHEIs) from Australia, Italy, United Kingdom, and the United States of America to establish campuses across India, including Bengaluru

(Karnataka), Delhi NCR, Mumbai (Maharashtra), and Chennai (Tamil Nadu).

University of Southampton (UK), Gurugram (Haryana) campus commenced operations in August 2025 with courses such as BSc Computer Science, BSc Business Management, BSc Accounting and Finance, BSc Economics, MSc Finance and MSc International Management.Under the IFSCA Regulations, 2022, approvals have been granted to five universities from Australia and the UK to establish offshore branch campuses in GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Of these, Deakin University (Australia) commenced courses in July 2024, while the University of Wollongong (Australia) began operations in November 2024.

Government of India has also undertaken several other initiatives to attract global students to study in India, and also to ensure availability of high-quality education in the higher education domain through infrastructure upgradation of the institutions, accreditation of institutions and courses, promotion of research & innovation and augmenting the digital initiatives. Some of

the initiatives are: • ‘Study in India’ program is a flagship initiative to promote Indian education and making India as a preferred destination, with the overall objective to increase the number of international students coming to study in India. Study in India (Sll) portal

https://studyinindia.gov.in has been launched on 3rd August. 2023, as a dedicated website that showcases the best of Indian Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) and is a one stop solution for admission and visa applications for foreign students who wish to pursue their higher education in Indian HEIs. The portal provides a structured mechanism to facilitate foreign students to meet their Visa obligations. Regular outreach programs, webinars and education fairs are organized under the ‘Study in India’ programme to connect with potential students from various countries.

• UGC has issued Regulations in 2022 to enable Indian Institutions to collaborate with Foreign Higher Educational Institutions (FHEIs) to offer Twinning, Joint Degree and Dual Degree Programmes. • Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC) to encourage research collaboration between top Indian Institutes with the premier foreign institutes.

• Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) in Higher Education was launched on 30th November, 2015. The programme seeks to invite distinguished academicians, entrepreneurs, scientists, experts from premier institutions from across the world, to teach in the higher educational institutions in India.

• UGC has promulgated regulatory architecture/framework for institutions notified as Institutions of Eminence (IoE) in the form of Guidelines for public institutions and regulations for private institutions. The framework provides for autonomy in key areas such as academic freedom, recruitment, fee structure, collaborations etc.

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