Students have welcomed the University Grants Commission’s draft rules for setting up and running foreign universities in the country, saying it will improve the quality of education and research and provide world-class learning opportunities to candidates without having to travel abroad.
UGC announced draft regulations for ‘Establishment and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India’.
The final criteria will be notified by the end of the month after considering the feedback from all stakeholders.
As per the draft rules, foreign universities will be able to set up their own campuses India for the first time. These varsities can also decide on the admission process, fee structure and bring their money back home.
Sumit Bhati, 21, said, “I am planning to go abroad to do my post-graduation as the education is better there. I welcome the UGC notification but I don’t see universities coming up here anytime soon. It will also depend on the universities that are willing to come to India.”
Kritima Bhapta, who is planning to go to a European country to pursue PhD, said that Indian students will be able to take advantage of the world-class expertise of these universities.
“The education system in foreign universities is more advanced. Foreign universities provide better quality of education.
“If they are allowed to set up their campuses in India, Indian students will be able to benefit from their world-class expertise in innovation and research,” Bhapta said. Bhapta, who did his post-graduation from Singapore, said it would help students who are poor or belong to lower middle class families.
“Studying abroad is expensive, especially in countries like UK and US. Due to the high cost associated, many students who have potential but do not have the means to afford education are not able to attend the universities of their choice.
“If foreign universities set up their campuses in India, this cost will come down considerably,” he said.
Siddhant Gupta (25), who is pursuing post-graduation remotely from a UK university, said the education system in foreign universities is more advanced.
He said, “Foreign universities provide better quality of education and if they are allowed to set up their campuses in India, Indian students would be immensely benefited.”
However, some students questioned the move, saying that the government should instead focus on improving the quality of education in Indian universities.
Gourdeep Kaur, whose brother is studying in Canada, said, “The government should focus more on improving the education level and infrastructure of Indian universities so that they can compete with universities globally.”
He said that his mother had taken a loan of 20 lakhs for his brother’s education.
“If the universities here were good, my brother could have easily studied here. However, the education here is not good,” said Kaur.
Sean Young, who is studying International Relations from Britain, feels that it is not going to make much difference.
“You are allowing foreign universities to set up campuses in India – that is great but no government intervention in the fee structure is a major red flag.
“It is already bad enough that students have to leave the country to get an education, it is expensive and tuition is not cheap. I am excited by the decision but the economic side of the policy needs to be worked out.
UGC chairman M Jagadesh Kumar said that foreign universities having campuses in the country can offer full-time programs only in offline mode and not online or distance education. Education Institutions (HEIs) will require permission from the UGC to set up their campuses in India.
The initial approval would be for 10 years and would be renewable in the ninth year subject to fulfillment of certain conditions, he said and clarified that these institutions would not offer any study program that would jeopardize India’s national interest or high standards. Do you put education here.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)