Kolkata: Private colleges and universitiesare very optimistic with cabinet giving its approval to the Foreign Educational Institutions (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill. It is envisaged that with the passing of this bill, the entire education system of India will undergo a revolutionary change. Many private players in the education sector have already been approached by foreign universities for collaborative programmes, who were just waiting for the government’s approval.
Falguni Mukhopadhyay, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Brainware Consultancy Pvt Ltd, said that they have 8.5 acres in Barasat, on which they are setting up Brainware Knowledge Campus. They have also decided to establish a school of engineering, which will have five major departments. There will be an MCA course and an MBA school as well. They have just started the process, as the buildings are under construction and they are awaiting an AICTE approval.
Further, Mr Mukhopadhyay also added that the bill would ensure much improved education. Moreover, the foreign universities would gain by taking our students, who are intelligent. There is a huge knowledge pool here. Setting up off-shore universities are a growing trend. He explained that the institutes will later plan to enter into a foreign collaboration with the foreign universities mainly in the engineering, MBA and computer science departments.
He further mentioned that they are looking for students and faculty-exchange programme. A credit-based system, in which students can carry forward credits earned from Indian university to a foreign university, will also be introduced. They will seek more collaboration in projects. The library network, systems and procedures will improve, when the foreign universities will directly interact with our indigenous students.
Techno India group also has several plans, which includes hiring foreign faculty, a student-exchange and credit exchange programme. Satyam Roychowdhury, Managing Director of Techno India group of colleges has said that the management department of Central Michigan University had showed their desire to enter into a joint collaboration with our management department. However, there were too many government rules.
Mr Roychowdhury, also added that if the bill is finally passed, the entire education system will be changed. The competition will ensure survival of the fittest institutes. The education curriculum will have to be modified. The universities will be forced to develop their ambience, introduce better faculty and pump in more funds for their research facilities as foreign universities pay a lot to their researchers
As per sources, Pailan Group has achieved an integration of the entire education system from KG to PG on the same campus. Apurva Saha, Chairman of Pailan Group has said that they have had several offers from foreign universities and institutes, asking for collaboration. However, no one will invest unless the education business is made profitable. The government has now decided that if the bill is passed, keeping Rs 50 crore as a corpus, the rest will be kept as profits. With globalization and foreign universities opening off-shore campuses, the R&D facility shall improve.
