Page 24 - EW December 2023

Education News

DELHI for quality higher education of the
Absurd preconditions fast-expanding middle class whose

number has risen to an estimated
430 million, the next best option that
has been in the works since the land-
mark liberalisation of the self-reliant
Indian economy in 1991, is to invite
foreign universities to establish cam-
puses in India.
The idea of attracting foreign uni-
versities to India was first mooted by
the National Knowledge Commission
in the early years of the new millen-
nium. In 2007, the Foreign Higher
Educational Institutions (Regula-
tions of Entry, Operation of Quality
and Prevention of Commercialisa-
tion) Bill was presented in Parlia-
ment but scuttled at the last moment
by leftie HRD minister Arjun Singh.
Again in 2010, after the Congress-
led UPA-II government was voted
UGC headquarters in Delhi. Inset: UGC chairman Prof. Jagadesh Kumar to power at the Centre for a second
term, a revised Foreign Educational
he ugc (setting up and Opera- universities — the majority run by Institutions (Regulation of Entry and
tion of Campuses of Foreign state governments — providing low Operations) Bill, 2010 was tabled in
THigher Educational Institu- grade, poor quality education and Parliament. But it was vehemently
tions in India) Regulations, 2023, relatively superior Central universi- opposed by the BJP and communist
notified on November 7 by the apex ties admitting only a small percent- parties leading to a stalemate and
Delhi-based University Grants Com- age of school leavers and graduate eventually killed.
mission (UGC), has evoked disap- students, the outflow of students However with the high-powered
pointment and skepticism within streaming abroad for superior quali- Kasturirangan Committee endorsing
academia. Long in the works, the fications has become a torrent. this proposal, the National Educa-
Regulations are unlikely to enthuse An estimated 1.3 million students tion Policy (NEP) 2020 reflects a
foreign universities to establish are signing up with varsities abroad BJP about turn. Except this time
branch campuses in India. Certainly every year spending an aggregate round instead of legislation enacted
not universities top-ranked by the $80 billion (Rs.6.64 lakh crore) by Parliament, the proposal is routed
London-based QS and THE (Times which is several multiples of the total through UGC under ss. 12 and 26 of
Higher Education) which annually annual budgetary outlay for educa- the University Grants Commission
publish their highly-respected global tion of the Central government. Act, 1956.
universities league tables ranking the Currently, Indian students comprise Nevertheless, the heavy hand of
world’s 3,000 best universities on the largest cohort of foreign students the educracy which is reluctant to
several parameters of higher educa- in the US and UK and are flooding surrender its control-and-command
tion excellence (faculty competence, the Anglosphere (Canada, Australia). powers over higher education, is
research output, infrastructure etc). They are also becoming increasingly discernible in the new UGC Regula-
The urge to invite foreign uni- visible in Germany, France, and East tions. Applicant foreign universities
versities to establish campuses in European countries and even China have to be ranked among the Global
India has become pressing because which is becoming a popular des- 500 in league tables approved by
the demand for foreign education is tination for the study of medicine, UGC from “time to time,” degrees
rising exponentially despite univer- a popular middle class vocation for awarded have to be on a par with
sities abroad continuously raising which India’s 704 medical colleges country of origin, tuition fees have
tuition and residential accommoda- are totally inadequate. to be reasonable, faculty employed
tion fees for international students. With the Central and state have to be on a par with country of
With the great majority of India’s governments which run large fiscal origin, study programmes should not
42,000 undergrad colleges and 1,100 deficits unable to meet the demand be contrary to sovereignty of India

24 EDUCATIONWORLD DECEMBER 2023