Lok Sabha Question No. 375 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-02
Subject: Establishment of Foreign University Campuses in India
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Appalanaidu Kalisetti

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 375 ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026

## Establishment of Foreign University Campuses in India

## 375. Shri Appalanaidu Kalisetti:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of foreign universities that have applied to establish campuses in India under the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines, State-wise, specifically in Andhra Pradesh;
- (b) the present status of these applications, including the number of institutions granted approval and issued letters of intent, with particular reference to Andhra Pradesh;
- (c) the proposed academic infrastructure and programmes to be offered by such foreign universities in the country;
- (d) the details of any Government funding provided to support the establishment of these foreign campuses, State-wise, including funds allocated to Andhra Pradesh; and (e) the oversight and monitoring mechanisms prescribed under the UGC guidelines for regulating such foreign university campuses, including those proposed in Andhra Pradesh

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

- (a)  to  (e):  A  number  of  Foreign  Higher  Educational  Institutions  (FHEIs)  have  expressed interests to establish their branch campuses in India, under the University Grants Commission (UGC) (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations 2023.
- UGC has issued 14 Letters of Intent (LoIs) to  FHEIs  from Australia, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America to establish campuses across India, including Bengaluru  (Karnataka),  Delhi  NCR,  Mumbai  (Maharashtra),  and  Chennai  (Tamil Nadu). The  FHEIs  proposing  to  open  branch  campuses  in  India  have  indicated  to  run programmes in business, economics, accounting, finance, software engineering, data science, artificial  intelligence,  cybersecurity,  game  design,  entrepreneurship,  innovation,  biomedical sciences, among other emerging fields to meet global academic and industry demands.

UGC has instituted a single-window clearance  mechanism and constituted a high-powered Standing Committee to evaluate the proposals for establishment of FHEI campuses in India.

The Committee examines the applications and makes recommendations to the Commission. Based on these recommendations, UGC grants in-principle approval and issues a Letter of Intent. Only FHEIs ranked within the top 500 globally ranked universities are eligible, and applicants must submit the latest accreditation or quality assurance reports from recognized bodies.

UGC regulatory framework is designed to ensure that the education imparted in India is of the same standard as that offered at the parent campus abroad, while also ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations in India. The qualifications awarded by FHEIs under the UGC Regulations shall be recognized and treated as equivalent to any corresponding qualification awarded  by  Indian  Higher  Educational  Institutions,  and  no  further  equivalence  from  any authority would be required.

Further,  the  government  has  also  constituted  a  'Facilitation  Committee  for  FHEIs'  on  16 th December 2025. The Committee is mandated to assist the FHEIs in establishment of their campuses in India, after the hand-over of the LoI by UGC. The Committee also oversees and monitors  the  academic/financial/governance  etc.  related  aspects  vis-à-vis  the  regulatory mechanisms in India.

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