The new regulations give foreign universities free play; this will not ensure a level playing field, one expert pointed out. Photograph used for representational purposes only
Educators in Tamil Nadu wonder if the University Grants Commission’s decision to open up the country for foreign universities to set up campuses would really help improve the country’s higher education capabilities.
They point out that a country that had so far not permitted for-profit educational institutions is aiming to open up the floodgates for such institutions and this could spell the end of funded State universities.
P. Duraisamy, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Madras finds several issues objectionable. A foreign institution’s earnings can be taken back to its country and therein lies the issue of a reasonable fee structure, he pointed out. “There must be a level playing field. Whatever regulations are applicable for Indian institutions must apply for foreign institutions also. The new regulation allows the (foreign) institution a free play and they are given more freedom, which is not given to the Indian institution. For instance they can fix their fees, the admission norms, and have full freedom in faculty appointments,” he said.
The regulations also permit institutions that haven’t participated in ranking systems. Mr. Duraisamy wondered how the quality of an institution from a non-English speaking country would be assessed if it is not ranked by any educational organisation.
The UGC had earlier permitted twinning and dual degree programmes with foreign institutions but these collaborators fulfil the country’s regulations. “Education should not be for profit,” he opined.
S.P. Thyagarajan, chancellor of Avinashilingam University however said this move would improve the quality of higher education and make it competitive. As there is a demand for higher education, foreign institutions may not erode the student base of State universities that heavily subsidise education, he said.
“Competition between layers of institutions would mean survival of the fittest and quality competence will improve overall,” he said. Also, the country’s large pool of qualified teachers who have not got postings could benefit from job opportunities. It could be a wake up call to State governments to build faculty strength. “It is paradoxical that the State government insists on higher grades in the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) instead,” said Prof Thyagarajan, who has previously served as Vice Chancellor of the University of Madras.
However, the UGC should retain the earlier version of this decision that had called for spending the money earned in India within the country, he added.
L. Jawahar Nesan, a member of the State Education Policy panel, expressed concern that foreign institutions may earn more dividends than India or its students might. He said countries where such agreements [with foreign universities] exist have not benefited much, despite the presence of these universities for several decades. These countries have not shown much progress in research, he said. Tier-2 institutions with a low student base could come student shopping to India, he feared.
The All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisation’s general secretary Arun Kumar said it would only accelerate blind competition among universities in the country, which are “already suffering for want of faculty, staff, infrastructure, funds and budget crises.”
Freedom to the institutions could “prove disastrous for the poor, Dalit and minorities (students),” he said.