UGC warns Indian students not to take admission in China due to travel curbs over COVID

The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Friday advised students interested in pursuing courses in Chinese universities to be aware of the travel restrictions before enrolling.

“Any prospective student needs to be aware that the Government of People’s Republic of China has imposed strict travel restrictions in the wake of COVID-19 and suspended all visas since November 2020," read official notification by the UGC. 

"A large number of Indian students have not been able to return to China to continue their studies due to these restrictions. Thus far, there has been no relaxation in the restrictions," it added. 

Due to this, Chinese authorities have conveyed that courses will be conducted online. The UGC warned that the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) does not recognize degree courses that are pursued only in online mode without prior approval.

“Students are advised to exercise due diligence in choosing where to pursue higher education to avoid further problems in employment or higher studies," the notification stated.

The advisory came after a few Chinese universities issued notices for admission to various degree programs for the current and the upcoming academic years.

Earlier in February, the National Medical Commission (NMC) had issued a similar notice against pursuing online medical courses being offered by several Chinese universities. It had stated that the commission does not recognize or approve any medical course which is conducted only in online mode.

Coronavirus outbreak forces fresh curbs in China

China is currently witnessing its worst COVID-19 outbreak since the pandemic first began in late 2019, due to the Omicron variant. The country has recorded more than 56,000 cases since 1 March, according to national health officials. Many of those cases have been reported in northeastern Jilin province and include asymptomatic cases as well. The numbers do not include Hong Kong, which tracks its COVID-19 data separately.