The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has warned institutions against denying admission to students holding National Institute of Open Schooling certificates and asserted that such qualifications are fully valid for entry into higher and professional education.

The technical education regulator has noted that such practices violate National Education Policy directives and adversely affect students’ rights to higher education.

“It has been brought to the notice of the Council that some AICTE-approved higher education institutions have denied admission to students who have passed their examination through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), despite these students fulfilling the prescribed eligibility criteria,” the council said.

“NIOS is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, and is recognised on par with other national and state boards such as CBSE, CISCE, and State Boards of School Education,” it added.

The AICTE has directed all higher education institutions to ensure that students who have successfully passed through NIOS and meet the eligibility criteria are considered on par with students of other recognised boards.