Be ‘diligent’ in higher education choices, UGC & AICTE tell students hit by China Covid curbs

 The notice comes after Chinese universities imposed Covid-related travel restrictions & suspended visas of Indian students following the pandemic's outbreak in November 2019.

Students inside a library (Representational Image) | Commons

YIMKUMLA LONGKUMER, The Print, 25 March, 2022, New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) Friday advised students to exercise “due diligence” while making higher education choices in order to “avoid further problems in employment or higher studies”.

The notice by the regulatory bodies comes after universities in China imposed Covid-related travel restrictions and suspended visas of Indian students following the outbreak of the pandemic in November 2019, forcing hundreds to return to India in early 2020.

The statement was released after a few Chinese universities issued notices for admission to various degree programmes for the current and the upcoming academic years.

“A large number of Indian students have not been able to return to China to continue their studies due to these restrictions. Thus far, there has been no relaxation in the restrictions,” read the joint statement issued by the UGC and AICTE, in the backdrop of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Delhi Friday.

The joint statement also noted that they “do not recognise” any degree course in online mode without prior approval, despite the Chinese authorities having conveyed earlier that “courses will be conducted online”.

According to the 2019-20 official data provided by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), around 23,000 Indian students are enrolled in various universities across China.