Page 40 - EW May 2023_Neat

Cover Story

A LMOST IMPERCEPTI-

BLY, Indian education
is experiencing a sea
change. The logic of
the belated liberalisa-
tion and deregula-
tion of the Indian economy in 1991
is being applied to the education
sector. Suddenly without fanfare and
trumpeting, foreign school chains
and universities are (as reported
in detail by EducationWorld, see
cover feature www.educationworld.
in/1991-inflection-point-for-indian-
education/) setting up shop in
school and higher education. Even
if globalisation of Indian education
is happening three decades after Deakin University VC Prof. Iain Martin (left) celebrates first foreign campus in India
unshackling of the economy in 1991
which immediately doubled India’s that Mohammed came to the moun- education in hard currency. This
annual GDP growth mired in the rut tain than the other way around, UGC notwithstanding that all Western
of 3.5 percent for over 50 years after chairman, Mamidala Jagadesh varsities levy differential higher tu-
independence to 7 percent, and lifted Kumar is unfazed. “Why this par- ition and residential accommodation
400 million citizens out of debilitat- ticular emphasis on Ivy League uni- charges on foreign students.
ing poverty, better late than never. versities? If they come, it is alright, Indeed, but for high enrolments
The greatest impact of liberalisa- but there are several (other) excellent from India (and China), a large num-
tion of Indian education is likely to universities around the world,” he ber of higher education institutions
be felt in the higher education sector. told Indian Express (April 2). in several Western countries would
On January 5, the University Grants Certainly the demand for degrees have to shut shop. It is now well-
Commission issued its long awaited issued by offshore, especially West- documented that Chinese and Indian
draft University Grants Commission ern universities, is high within India. students in that order, contribute
(Setting up and Operation of Cam- Every year, an estimated 800,000 the largest contingents of overseas
puses of Foreign Higher Educational school-leavers and especially college students in the US, Australia, Canada
Institutions in India) Regulations, graduates, leave for foreign shores in and in 2022, the number of Indian
2023, which permits foreign univer- quest of meaningful higher educa- students in the UK (118,000) exceed-
sities ranked among the global 500 tion, and expend a massive aggregate ed the number of Chinese students
by respected ranking agencies such sum estimated at $16 billion (Rs.1.3 for the first time.
as QS and Times Higher Education, lakh crore) per year — a sum greater The huge hard currencies expense
to establish greenfield campuses in than the annual education budget of incurred by middle class households
India. the Government of India. And given because of the annual exodus of
Following this green light, Deakin that undergrad study programmes students from India to foreign higher
University, Melbourne (Australia) is abroad are typically of three-four education institutions (HEIs) despite
all set to establish its independent years duration and postgrad two- India hosting 42,000 undergrad col-
campus in the Gujarat International three, they spend a huge aggregate leges and 1,113 universities — some
Finance Tec-City (GIFT), Gandhi- amount for high quality higher of them of over 150 years vintage
nagar. Several other universities — is the outcome of the vice-like
from the UK, US and other countries On January 5, the University grip maintained by successive
are testing the waters of India’s noto- governments at the Centre and to a
rious education regulatory system. Grants Commission lesser extent in the states, over higher
And although the prime intent permitted high-ranked education institutions.
of this liberalisation initiative — to Under the regulatory regime all
attract globally top-ranked American foreign universities to undergrad colleges and universities
and British universities to establish establish greenfield and their syllabuses/curriculums
campuses in India — is unlikely to have to be approved by UGC, and
fructify because they would rather campuses in India for technical HEIs by the All India

40 EDUCATIONWORLD MAY 2023