New Delhi: The Minister of Human Resource Development (HRD) Kapil Sibal has said that although the foreign universities might not get reservation laws for establishing their campuses in India, but they will be allowed to conduct affirmative programmes for children of the weaker section of the society, in the country.
The decision has come as a result of Foreign Educational Institution (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill, 2010, which was passed by the Cabinet last week. The Bill seeks to allow foreign Universities and institutes to set up their campuses in India.
Speaking about the Bill, Sibal said that India has no reservation law for the private education providers, at the moment. The Bill would be initiated in Parliament in April, while the new law would be enacted by the end of 2010. Meanwhile, the Bill would be present before a Standing Committee after it is introduced in the Parliament.
Sibal further added that many foreign universities are eager to set up their campuses in the country, in collaboration with Indian Universities and institutes. Some of them are Ivy League universities, Yale and Boston University.
According to the HRD Minister, all foreign education Universities will be accredited by the proposed National Accreditation Authority for quality control. Under the accreditation, they can certainly operate in India, because India has allowed FDI in the education sector. They could charge their own fee as they will be considered as private education providers. He also added that the fee could be less than the universities charge in their respective countries, because in India, the cost of infrastructure and other things are so less.
Sibal said that the students will get benefit from the campuses of foreign universities, because many students are unable to pay $60,000 or higher fee. Due to that provision, they can get the equivalent study at $20,000 or $15,000 or even at $10,000 without going abroad.
