Foreign Universities Campuses in India
Present circumstances:
- A number of draught regulations have been released by the University Grants Commission to make it simpler for foreign universities to open campuses in India.
- According to expectations, it “may presage long overdue improvements in the country’s higher educational atmosphere.”
- It is crucial to understand that the general framework for higher education policy was built with equity and diversity in mind.
The 2020 National Education Plan is the context (NEP):
- The National Education Strategy 2020 was developed by the government 35 years after the last policy, which was established in 1986. (NEP).
- According to NEP 2020, the educational system will undergo a significant transformation. The emphasis is on “making high-quality higher education opportunities available to all students,” combining the goals of quality and equity.
- However, while the standards for quality development are rather clearly stated, the measures for equity are left to the discretion of state governments and educational institutions with a detailed suggestion.
- The laws for ensuring fair access have not been produced with the same zeal by the UGC, despite the fact that it has released follow-up regulations for quality improvement at an incredibly rapid speed, with the international university regulations being the most recent.
Possible barriers to allowing foreign colleges to establish campuses in India:
- The introduction of quality standards alone is likely to significantly limit the access of underprivileged groups to higher education if the government doesn’t take equivalent action to protect them. This is because these policies have elements that can make access disparities worse.
- The main steps recommended for improving quality include establishing unitary universities in place of affiliated universities, dual-length Bachelor’s/Master’s/BEd degrees, the National Entrance Test for admission, encouraging private education, and introducing foreign university campuses.
The following possible NEP problems could endanger affordable and equitable higher education:
- The first policy recommendation for quality improvement is the switch from the affiliating university system to the unitary university system with large multidisciplinary campuses.
- Unitary institutions are seen as being superior than affiliating universities because all courses, even those at the undergraduate level, are taught by the same pool of faculty members.
- However, students from lower sections of society can easily and affordably access the affiliated state university system because of its close proximity to institutions in small/medium towns and even large villages.
- Therefore, The NEP should have sought a medium position to provide both quality and equal access. The answer is to create cluster unitary universities by separating colleges while keeping the current decentralised geographic location in order to guarantee quality and equity.
- The second measure concerns degrees with multiple lengths, such as the B.Ed. (two and four years) and master’s (one and two years).
- The novelty is several ports of admission and exit. Students who leave school early are given the option to continue their degrees later and have their earlier credits stored in a credit bank, along with a certificate or diploma.
- Even though this seems like a great idea, it would tempt less privileged students to go for a three-year Bachelor’s degree rather than a four-year one because it would be more affordable.
- Because those with longer degrees would receive preference on the job market, this could lead to a hierarchy.
- The last step is to administer admissions tests around the country. Students from stronger sections are frequently favoured in these exams.
- For instance, the Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) for students in the lowest economic group in 2017–18 was 13%, whereas it was 16% for STs, 21% for SCs, and 16% for Muslims. The Rajan Committee Report from Tamil Nadu makes it abundantly evident that after the introduction of the entrance test, some students with higher higher secondary test scores could not find a position on the admissions lists, but those with lesser marks who could afford private tutoring did. The GER was really 7% and 11%, respectively, among the STs and SCs with the lowest incomes.
Conclusion:
- Allowing foreign universities to open campuses in India will have a similar impact on access. The best course of action is to establish institution-to-institution alliances that would improve the capability of the neighbourhood partner schools and boost access for students from underrepresented groups.
- Instead of establishing foreign university campuses, the best of our institutes, like the IITS and IIMs, were founded in the 1970s through partnership with the best institutions from the US, Russia, and Germany.
- It is clear that efforts to improve quality alone will further limit entry of students from underprivileged sectors to higher education unless related regulations are also passed to enable fair access. Quality and equitable measures both need to be taken into account.
