“Mutual Recognition Of Degrees Between India-Britain”: Ramesh Pokhriyal

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal on Wednesday discussed a mutual recognition of degrees between India and Britain.

"Also discussed the mutual recognition of degrees, and an agreement for the creation of a task force at an official level was reached," Pokhriyal said in a tweet after his talks with the UK Secretary, who is currently in India on a four-day visit for high-level talks to enhance UK-India relations. He also mentioned that the policy was visionary, PTI reported.

I thank Rt Hon'ble @DominicRaab – Secretary of State of @FCDOGovUK for praising the NEP. He mentioned that the policy was visionary. Also discussed the mutual recognition of degrees and an agreement for creation of a taskforce at an official level was reached. pic.twitter.com/dAofGpptyQ

— Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) December 16, 2020

UK's one-year Master's programme is not recognized in the public sector in India along with certain subject-specific hurdles in fields such as medicine and law, the report said.

This has been seen as an impediment to two-way research and development flows between India and the UK, as it proves problematic for students wanting to pursue further studies in each other's countries, the report added.

"The mutual recognition of degrees is expected to pave the way for a significant increase in the numbers of Indian students taking up degree courses at UK universities, a number already registering a steady growth with a post-study work offer being added on to student visas under the UK's new post-Brexit points-based immigration system which is now open for applications," the PTI report said.

"The discussion is the result of Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji's meeting in the UK in the year 2018, where he mentioned that education is the bridge for the relations between India and UK," the Indian Education minister further added.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Raab took the opportunity to hand over a letter from Prime Minister Boris Johnson, inviting the Prime Minister to the G7 meeting to be chaired by the UK in 2021. The Prime Minister also conveyed that he is pleased to receive Prime Minister Boris Johnson in New Delhi next month, on the occasion of India's 72nd Republic Day celebrations.