Foreign univs have agreed to no-repatriation condition: Sibal
Foreign education providers evincing interest to come to India have agreed to a condition that they will not repatriate surplus money generated from education activities here, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal today said.
During an interaction with reporters at Indian Women Press Corps here, Sibal said the Foreign Educational Institution (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill, 2010, has the provision that the foreign institutes in India cannot take back the profit generated from educational activities.
"The foreign education providers whichever have discussed with me on their plan to come to India have said that they will not have any problem on that provision," he said.
Asked why the foreign education providers would be willing to come to India when they cannot take back profit, he said such institutions will come for quality human resource.
Sibal gave a comparative picture of lack of human resource in other parts of the world. He said Germany will be an ageing country by 2050. Similar will be the situation in many other countries.
India and China will be the supplier of quality human resource in the coming years. It in the benefit of the foreign countries to set up campuses in India to get quality human resource, he said.
To a question that foreign education providers would promote Western education in India, Sibal said education does not have any Western connotation.
"What is Western education in chemistry, physics, engineering. What is that Western education," he asked.
Sibal also ruled out apprehensions that the foreign education providers would cater to the need of elite classes. The foreign education providers in other countries cater to all sections, he said.
Indian students, who pay USD 80,000 in the US for certain courses, will get the same courses at a much cheaper price. The foreign institutes will be subjected to the domestic laws, Sibal said, adding that the government is opposed to elitism in education.
To a question that whether the government would bring a new education policy, Sibal preferred not to give a straight answer.
"Let us see. I cannot tell you that," he said.
