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INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CENTRES AUTHORITY
(2nd and 3rd Floor, Savvy Pragya, GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat)
eF.No.IFSCA-BDev./FU/1/2023-BD
December 14, 2023
CIRCULAR
Subject: Permitting International Branch Campuses (IBCs) and Offshore Educational
Centres (OECs) at GIFT-IFSC to avail infrastructure services from Academic
Infrastructure Service Providers (AISPs).
Reference is invited to the International Financial Services Centres Authority (Setting
up and Operation of International Branch Campuses and Offshore Education Centres)
Regulations, 2022 (hereinafter referred to as “the Regulations”), enabling globally reputed
foreign universities or foreign educational institutions to set up IBC or OEC in the GIFT
International Financial Services Centre (hereinafter referred to as the GIFT IFSC) for offering
academic courses/ programmes in permissible subject areas.
2.
IFSCA received requests from various stakeholders including foreign universities and
foreign educational institutions regarding enabling a framework for providing infrastructure
and support services to them in GIFT IFSC. It was suggested that such infrastructure and
support services would facilitate these universities and institutions to set up IBCs/ OECs in
GIFT IFSC by providing end-to-end campus infrastructure facilities.
3.
Considering the above and in order to facilitate setting up of high-quality campus
infrastructure facilities in GIFT IFSC, this circular is being issued to specify conditions for
IBCs and/or OECs for availing infrastructure and other support services from an AISP. While
the AISPs shall be governed as per the provisions of the SEZ Act 2005, applicable rules and
regulations, the IBCs/OECs shall adhere to the conditions specified in this circular, for availing
their services. The enablement under this circular shall only govern the relationship between
AISP and IBC/ OEC and does not apply to an IBC/OEC seeking support services other than
Campus Infrastructure Services.
4.
Academic Infrastructure Service Providers shall mean a service provider providing
services to an IBC/OEC, which shall include providing built up campus facility, research and
development facility, library, laboratories, incubation centres, teaching classroom, and such
other related services.
5.
An IBC/OEC, in addition to availing services mentioned in paragraph-4, may also
obtain the following incidental support services from the AISP, if available:
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a) Campus Facility Management services including services such as campus security,
internet facilities, IT infrastructure, day-to-day management and maintenance of
campus infrastructure facilities and other related services.
b) Student onboarding, Admissions and Student Welfare services including
facilitating entrance examinations, student counselling, facilitating tie-ups and
collaborations for hostel facilities, dorms, laundry services, canteen, recreational
amenities such as sports grounds, gymnasium, parks, indoor and outdoor activities,
swimming pool, necessary helpline(s) such as but not limited to information
dissemination, mental health and emotional well-being and other related services.
c) Services for recruitment and management of non-academic staff including
providing staffing solutions, recruitment and management of non-academic staff, and
other related services. Such services may also include providing necessary training and
on-going management and supervision support for such non-academic staff.
d) Branding and Marketing services including strategy, planning and operations for
branding and marketing of courses and programmes, conducting promotional activities
and awareness campaigns, brand building activities, outreach activities through
business development partners and other related services.
e) Payroll services including assisting or providing end-to-end payroll services for the
staff employed by the IBC and/or OEC. Necessary technical solutions for payroll
administration, compliances, benefits administration, grievance redressal and payroll
management and other related services may also form part of these services.
f) Any other service directly or indirectly supporting or assisting the delivery of courses
by IBCs and OECs in IFSC, on a case-to-case basis, upon necessary approval obtained
by IBC and/or OEC from the Authority.
6.
Eligibility conditions:
The IBC and/or OEC shall avail services from an AISP satisfying the following
conditions:
a) The AISP is incorporated as a separate company in GIFT SEZ;
b) The AISP have a minimum net worth of 1 million USD or equivalent for providing AIS
and the same shall be maintained at all times while providing services to IBC/ OEC;
c) The AISP or any of its group company shall have at least three years of prior experience
of providing similar services to recognized universities/ educational institutions in India
or overseas.
7.
Obligation of IBC/ OEC:
The IBC and/or OEC availing services from a AISP shall comply with the following
provisions:
a) The IBC or the OEC shall enter into a formal written agreement with AISP.
b) The agreement shall, inter-alia, contain provisions relating to indemnity, intellectual
property protection, conflict of interest, financial guarantee, confidentiality and
privacy, force majeure, insurance, governing law & jurisdiction, dispute resolution
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mechanism, responsibility matrix with clear delineation of roles and responsibilities
between the IBC and/or OEC and the AISP. The agreement shall also provide adequate
mechanism for a smooth transition in case of its termination or expiry ensuring that the
interests of students are safeguarded.
c) The IBC/ OEC shall submit a copy of the agreement to the Authority immediately after
its execution and inform the Authority if such agreement is modified or terminated for
any reason before its expiry. IBC/ OEC shall however, at all times be responsible for
the protection of the interest of the students or other stakeholders, to the satisfaction of
the Authority.
d) The IBC/ OEC shall provide an undertaking to the Authority that the academic
functions of the IBCs and/or OECs, are not outsourced in any manner whatsoever, to
the AISP directly or indirectly.
8.
This issues with the approval of the Competent Authority.
9.
A copy of this circular is available on the website at www.ifsca.gov.in/circular.
-Sd-
(Sathyaraj C M)
General Manager
Division of Foreign University
Department of Development
