The University Grants Commission has asked universities and other Higher Education Institutions (HEI) to get prior clearance from the Home Ministry and Ministry of External Affairs, before signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Chinese universities.

In a letter to Vice-Chancellors of Indian universities, UGC Secretary, Rajnish Jain said that a number of Indian universities have signed agreements or MoUs with Chinese universities for students and faculty exchange programmes and also for opening Chinese language centre. The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has conveyed vide a communication, that in addition to other clearances, prior approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of External Affairs must be taken by all the academic institutions, universities before signing of MOUs, educational exchange programme, agreement, joint declaration of interest, letter of intent and anything of that sort with Chinese institutions or universities, he added.

Further, those universities including private universities, academic institutions, who have already entered into MoU with Chinese universities, must seek clearance from MHA for operating the MoU and till a clearance is obtained, no activities should be performed under the MoU, the UGC secretary said in the letter. He also asked VCs to ensure compliance of the direction received from the MHRD.