Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications

France and India have an agreement on the mutual recognition of academic qualifications that was signed during the maiden State visit of President Emmanuel Macron to India in 2018.

The agreement was inked during the India-France Knowledge Summit, the first high-level summit for university, scientific and technological cooperation held by the two countries, making it the first such intergovernmental agreement signed by India. It came into force in 2019.

The agreement applies:

• in India, to all institutions that are members of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and all institutions duly approved, recognized or accredited by the Indian authorities to award degrees;
• in France, to all higher education institutions under the Conférence des Présidents d’Université (CPU), the Conférence des Directeurs des Écoles Françaises d’Ingénieurs (CDEFI) and to degrees duly recognized by the French Ministry in charge of Higher Education. 

As per the agreement, the following qualifications are recognized as comparable in France and India provided they have been awarded by the aforementioned institutions:

• Certificates issued in respect of India Senior School Certificate Examination (by CBSE or by the other secondary, intermediate or pre-university education establishments recognized by the Government of India) and the French baccalauréate ;
• Bachelor’s degree in India and licence in France;
• Master’s degree in India and Master’s and Master’s level degree in France
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in India and doctorate in France

Professional degrees such as Law, Medicine or qualifications which entitle their holders the right to practice their profession in the respective countries are excluded from this agreement.  

French degrees are also recognized in the other countries with which France has entered into such agreements (Peru, Japan, etc.)       

The mutual recognition of degrees enables students to advance their studies in both French and Indian educational systems.