Foreign Degree Equivalence Now Under University Grants Commission; Online Applications Open from 6 Shrawan
The government has transferred responsibility for determining academic equivalence—previously handled by the Curriculum Development Centre of Tribhuvan University—to the University Grants Commission. According to the Commission, online applications for determining the equivalence of academic degrees obtained from foreign universities or equivalent educational institutions can be submitted from Wednesday, 6 Shrawan 2083 BS.
The new arrangement came into effect following an amendment to Section 6 of the University Grants Commission Act, 2050, under Section 28 of the Some Nepal Acts Amendment Act, 2082. The TU Curriculum Development Centre had issued a notice on 32 Ashar stating that it had completely discontinued the service and that applicants seeking equivalence on or after 1 Shrawan should contact the Commission.
Previously, around 200 students visited the TU Curriculum Development Centre each day for equivalence-related services. The Centre had also cancelled the equivalence certificates of 114 Nepali students who had obtained degrees from foreign universities.
Alternative Arrangement Until the Regulations Are Approved
The University Grants Commission has submitted the regulations to the Ministry of Education for approval, but they have not yet been approved.
According to Dulraj Chimariya, Deputy Director of the Commission’s University Coordination Division, formal certificates can be issued only after the Degree Recognition and Equivalence Regulations, 2081 are approved.
To prevent students from facing difficulties because of the delay, the Commission has arranged to accept online applications from Wednesday. Applicants who submit all required documents will be provided with a letter. Chimariya stated that certificates will be issued once the regulations are approved.
Application and Verification Process
-
Online application: Applicants must submit an online application through the Commission’s website and upload all required documents.
-
Review of details: A designated representative of the cluster committee formed to determine the relevant cluster will initially review the submitted information.
-
Correction facility: Applicants will be able to correct uploaded information online. The application will be approved once the details are found to be accurate.
-
Certificate issuance: After approval, applicants will be able to print the equivalence certificate online. A hard copy may also be sent by courier to applicants living in Sudurpashchim or abroad who may find it difficult to visit the Commission’s office.
Eligibility and Documents Required for Equivalence
Applicants who have obtained academic certificates from recognised domestic or foreign universities or university-equivalent educational institutions other than Tribhuvan University may use this service.
The degree must have been obtained from an educational institution operating with approval from the authorised regulatory body of the relevant country.
Applicants seeking recognition of foreign degrees must submit the following documents:
-
Certificates showing that the applicant has passed the level for which equivalence is requested and the academic level immediately below it.
-
The original certificate issued by the concerned university or educational institution.
-
If a convocation has not been held, a provisional certificate valid for up to five years, a transcript, or—in the case of a university that does not issue transcripts—copies of the marksheet and character certificate.
-
For degrees obtained through open or distance education, an official letter from the concerned university.
The Commission has stated that the equivalence determination process will include a technical study and analysis of whether the structure and academic level of the foreign university’s curriculum correspond with the curricula and credit evaluation systems of Nepali universities.
College News Education News