india

Updated: Nov 13, 2014 23:19 IST

In a good news for students aspiring to take admission to undergraduate programme in UK, the universities there have agreed to recognise plus-two certificates awarded by India's Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

HRD Minister Smriti Irani said United Kingdom has also agreed to help the students facing visa related issues. "Till now, CBSE students faced a problem as their

certificate was not being recognised by several institutes.

"We raised this issue with UK earlier also and I am happy to state that they have worked on our concern and all UK universities will recognise the certificates," she said.

The minister was talking to reporters after chairing the 6th UK India Bilateral Education Forum meeting in New Delhi.

Non-recognition of certificates were discouraging many students from taking admission in UK.

Institutes there insisted students clearing the CBSE exam to do an add-on course to be eligible for admission to undergraduate courses, that school education in India was a year less than the British system.

Some of them also demanded IELTS scores, which indicate a student's proficiency in English.

At the meeting, India also sought relaxation in the post-study work visa norms that allow students to work with a minimum salary threshold of 20,000 British Pounds a year.

"We have also decided to set up a working group as to how the two countries can go ahead together especially in areas of school assessment programme, school and college leadership programme and taking education to every door through ICT," Irani said.

UK's minister of state for universities Greg Clark said the body would also make sure that problems with the visa system can be addressed at the highest level in UK.

Both the countries have also agreed to have exchange of academics, educators and industrial partners visiting each other campuses, he said.

Irani had sought a commitment from the UK side in this regard at the meeting.

Clark, minister said British government had initiated a programme, under which 25,000 young people would be sent to India to study in the next five years.

The first batch of students would reach Indian shores next summer, he said. Britain will institute a Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Lecture and India would partially fund the initiative.