Dehradun, May 29, 2025: Uttarakhand-based private university UPES has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Navy to provide academic and professional development opportunities to its personnel and their families.
This agreement, aligned with similar collaborations that UPES has established with the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, is part of the university’s ongoing commitment to honour and support India’s defence forces through education.
Through this partnership, UPES will offer a comprehensive range of educational programmes to Naval personnel, both serving and retired, as well as their spouses and wards. The scope of the MoU also includes support for families of Naval personnel who died in harness or have been physically incapacitated in the line of duty. The offerings will span full-time on-campus undergraduate and postgraduate programs, part-time Ph.D. programs designed for working professionals, and flexible online learning courses in areas such as management, law, technology, and more. Additionally, joint research activities and management development initiatives will also form an integral part of the collaboration.
The MoU was signed by Shashi Tripathi, President, Navy Welfare & Wellness Association (NWWA), along with Cmde SM Urooj Athar, Cmde (Naval Education), and Manish Madaan, Registrar UPES, Dehradun.
Speaking on the occasion, Tripathi said: “This collaboration with UPES is a significant step towards enabling our naval community to leverage the transformative power of education more flexibly and efficiently. By opening new academic pathways for our serving and retired personnel, their families, and especially for the Veernaris and their wards, we are investing in their future and honouring their immense sacrifices. Education is not just a tool for personal growth — it is a means to uplift families, open new doors, and build stronger, more resilient communities. This MoU reaffirms our commitment to ensure that every member of our extended naval family has access to quality learning, meaningful opportunities, and the support they need to thrive.”
Expressing his views on the MoU, Bharat Kharbanda, Member, Board of Governors, UPES, remarked, “This partnership is our tribute to the commitment and courage of the Indian Navy. We are proud to extend our academic ecosystem to those who serve the nation and to support their personal and professional journeys through meaningful educational pathways.”
As part of its commitment, the university will provide merit-based scholarships to wards of serving or retired Naval personnel, provided they meet the academic criteria and confirm their admissions within the stipulated timelines. Naval personnel enrolling in online learning programs will benefit from a 20% fee waiver, along with a 5% relaxation in eligibility criteria. For those with relevant work experience, project work requirements may be waived and replaced with a viva-based assessment. Learners will also have access to live weekend classes and recorded sessions, ensuring flexibility. Online examinations can be taken remotely, supporting both domestic and international participation.
For Naval personnel pursuing part-time PhD programs at UPES, the university will offer a 50% scholarship on tuition fees for each semester. Scholars will also be granted limited-time access to UPES’s e-library resources and may be provided guest house accommodation for academic visits, subject to availability. The MoU also lays the foundation for future academic and research collaboration in key areas relevant to the Indian Navy, including aviation, aeronautics, engineering, science and technology, logistics, management, and legal studies. UPES will facilitate joint research, exchange of knowledge, and leadership development programs aligned with the Navy’s operational and strategic priorities.
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