Indian 3-Yr Bachelor Degrees get recognition in US

StudyPlaces News Desk

It is sign of major relief for graduates from India who wish to study in US as they no longer have to devote an extra year of academics before applying for post graduate programmes in US universities or colleges.

Those who have undergone three years of Graduate programme are now eligible for applying to US universities or colleges. They do not need to go for an extra year of coursework to make up for the four years of education after their 10+2. According to World Education Services (WES), a player in international education credential evaluation in the US, it has recognised three-year bachelor's degree programmes from India.

This WES policy change is obviously cheering news for Indian students at the same time it will result in increase in applications of students applying to US universities. "The WES policy on three-year degrees from India permits qualified students to compete for graduate admission in the US. At the same time it allows US universities to recruit from an expanded pool of graduates from India and compete with universities in Australia and the UK for the best candidates" said Mariam Assefa, Executive Director, WES.

Some US universities, including Carnegie-Mellon and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth are prepared to consider applications for graduate admission from candidates who hold three-year degrees.

For students who have earned their BA, B Com or B Sc degree with Division I and II from colleges accredited by NAAC with a grade of 'A', WES's assessment may result in an evaluation that equates their degree to the US bachelor's degree. "This will help students gain full credit for their Indian education and save them an extra year of coursework, which some students undertake to meet the requirement of 16 years of education for admission to the US universities", said Dr Rahul Choudaha, Associate Director, WES.

Though it is positive sign for Indian students aspiring to study in US but it will still take some more time for all the US and Canadian Universities and colleges to accept the Indian three years graduate degree as eligibility criteria to admission to their post graduate courses.

WES is the largest credential evaluation service in the US. It has delivered over 750,000 credential evaluation reports and provided information to educational, business and governmental institutions worldwide. WES receives large numbers of applications for credential evaluations from students educated in India. As a result, over the past thirty-five years, the organisation has acquired extensive expertise in the Indian education system.