KATHMANDU: The University Grants Commission Nepal (UGC) has officially taken over the service of granting equivalency certificates for academic degrees obtained from foreign universities and higher education institutions.
According to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the service, previously provided by Tribhuvan University, was transferred to the UGC from July 17 in accordance with the law.
The commission has prepared the necessary regulations for the service and submitted them to the ministry for approval. The draft regulations are currently undergoing consultation with the Ministry of Finance and are in the final stage of approval.
To ensure uninterrupted service before the regulations are formally endorsed, the UGC launched an online application registration system on July 22 after putting the required infrastructure in place.
The ministry said that until the commission’s institutional structure is fully established, the equivalency service will continue to operate in coordination with Tribhuvan University, following the university’s existing procedures, criteria and standards, in line with a ministerial decision made on July 31.
According to the commission, internal verification of submitted applications has already begun. Applicants have been able to pay equivalency fees since August 5, and equivalency certificates will be issued once the verification process is completed.
The UGC said 3,162 users have registered on the new platform so far, while around 1,000 applications are currently being processed.
Under the new system, students can apply for equivalency, pay the required fees and receive digital equivalency certificates through the commission’s official online portal from anywhere in the country or abroad.
The commission said the digital platform is expected to make the equivalency service faster, more convenient and more transparent.
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