UK Master's turns a fancy handle

A Master’s degree from an university in the United Kingdom has a lot of  aspirational value attached to it. But families of students who spent their hard-earned money and time to acquire these degrees are at a loss when they return, as they find that the certifications are not recognised in the country.

These students risk being rejected by employers and universities who do not recognise their qualifications for higher studies.

Several students in the state who attained Master’s degrees from the UK are finding it hard to get employment in the government sector and pursue higher studies. Though there is no exact statistics, a ballpark estimate is that around 500 students from the state opt for the UK as a destination for education every year.

The stand taken by the Association of Indian Universities, which is the only recognised body for granting academic equivalence of degrees, has become a stumbling block for many.

The AIU has not recognised Master’s degree programmes of foreign universities that are of less than 2 years’ duration. Most of the Master’s or graduate programmes in the UK have a duration of one year. This includes several programmes of reputed institutions like Oxford University and London School of Economics.

Rajesh Divakaran, who has a Master’s degree in media communication from the UK and is now working with the HLL, said several students have been left in the lurch.

Stating that the AIU should change its equivalence system, he said: “There should be a competent authority like the UK’s National Recognition Information Centre, for providing information, advice on qualifications worldwide.”

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A Master's Degree valid in UK, worthless in India