The University Grants Commission (UGC) has made a significant announcement today, releasing guidelines for admission and creation of supernumerary seats for international students in higher educational institutes (HEIs) across India. According to the official notice, HEIs are now permitted to create up to 25 per cent supernumerary seats for international students, in addition to their total sanctioned enrolment for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
The decision to allocate 25 per cent supernumerary seats must be made by the respective higher educational institutions, taking into consideration factors such as infrastructure, faculty, and other requirements. It is important to note that these supernumerary seats are exclusively reserved for international students in UG and PG programmes, and cannot be filled by students under exchange programs or through Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreements.
Furthermore, the institutes are instructed to distribute these supernumerary seats among all departments, schools, centers, or any other academic unit within the institution. The guidelines also specify that professional and technical institutes will have their supernumerary seats governed by respective statutory bodies, while PhD seats will be regulated by UGC’s notified Regulations.
In order to streamline the process, all institutes creating supernumerary seats for international students are required to establish an ‘Office for International Students’ to maintain detailed records of country-wise distribution, number of students, programs, subjects, and duration of study. This move by the UGC aims to enhance the diversity and global presence of Indian higher education institutions, making them more attractive to international students seeking quality education.