Pathway courses face recognition troubles

DEGREES AWARDED BY THE FOREIGN UNIVERSITIES TO THE STUDENTS ADMITTED THROUGH PATHWAYS/DIPLOMA LEVEL INSTITUTIONS:

60. As of now, the AIU does NOT accord Equivalence to such degrees offered by the foreign universities where students are admitted through pathway/diploma level institutions;

Extract from AIU Policies & Procedure for Equivalence of Qualification / Degrees (Updated as 30^th June 2015).

Link | http://www.aiuweb.org/evaluation/AIU%20Equivalence%20Information%20Brochure%2013.07.2015.pdf

Analysis of the updated norms

Approximately 20,000 Indian students get study visas for Australia and half of them are in the pathway programmes.

Updated norms say such degrees will not be valid in India

Thousands of Indian students studying in Australia and countries like the United Kingdom and Canada may end up with their degrees not recognised in India if they return to pursue higher courses or take up employment in the government sector.

The updated norms issued by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) recently on equivalence of foreign qualifications clearly state that a degree attained through a package comprising a diploma at a pathway provider followed by shortened study at the university will not be valid in India. Nearly half of the Indian students in Australia are now in the pathway programmes and they shift to the university after the first year.