Act with caution

With the Union Cabinet approving a legislative bill to allow foreign universities to open campuses in India, the dream of lakhs of students in this country to get a higher education of international standards is a step closer towards realisation. The bill is now ready for introduction in parliament. Several overseas educational institutions are already known to be interested in setting up campuses in the country. The proposed legislation should benefit Indian students as they can now expect to get a foreign degree at a fraction of the price abroad. While education in these institutions is likely to be expensive and far more costly than that provided by government and private institutions in the country, studying here will be less of a financial burden than if one went abroad for an equivalent degree. Hitherto, students have not always found it easy to security admission into a foreign university.

The entry of foreign players is expected to put enormous pressure on Indian educational institutions, most of which at present lack quality. They will have to reform themselves to compete and remain relevant. They will have to match international standards. Actually, time may be running out for them; unless such institutions embark upon a path of reforms, time may not be far away when their very survival may be in doubt. However, while the proposal to allow foreign varsities will force local institutions and academia to pull up their socks, it will not by itself raise educational standards in the country. Reform in the higher education sector requires more than opening the gates to foreign players.
Probably, the reservation system that is applicable to the country’s higher educational institutions may not be applicable to foreign players entering the country. That is what Human Resources Development minister Kapil Sibal has hinted at, though the exact position on this important aspect would be known only when the bill is out. There is thus an area of concern — the gap in the quality of education that the rich and poor can hope to access, which is already wide, may widen further. There is a danger too of low-quality overseas institutions swooping in to make a fast buck in the country. The regulatory body that will scrutinise proposals from these institutions must exercise utmost care while granting permission to open campus.