Foreign Universities May Get Autonomy

 Tags:  Foreign Educational Institution, Foreign University,

The Foreign Educational Institutions Bill, 2007, has been hanging fire for a long time. Once it is passed, foreign universities will be allowed to open their autonomous campuses in India. Currently, they can have a presence in India only through tie-ups.

The present situation. The bill has been produced in the Cabinet, but after the prime minister’s office (PMO) intervened, it is awaiting clearance from the Ministry of Human Resource Development and other ministries before it is tabled in Parliament. That is expected to happen soon.

Says Naresh Gulati, CEO, Oceanic Consultant, a foreign education consultancy: “If foreign universities set up shop here, Indian universities will be forced to overhaul their educational system to match their standards. So, students stand to benefit. However, even though they can get a similar degree in India, it cannot replace the international exposure students get when they go abroad.”