UGC Move Is Welcome
The India Commentary view
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By Our Editorial Team
First publised on 2023-01-09 06:35:04
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The India Commentary view
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India is
the world's second largest education market and with the aspirations of the
younger generation skyrocketing, is growing at a fast rate. There is a huge gap
between the demand for quality higher education and its supply. Hence, just a
few world class Indian institutions have to cater to an ever growing demand for
admission from meritorious students but they are not able to fulfil the same.
Every year, thousands of Indian students go abroad for higher studies,
sometimes in foreign institutions of questionable repute.
Hence, the
draft rules that the Universities Grants Commission (UGC) has issued for allowing
reputed foreign universities - ones that are either in the list of top 500 in
the world or are highly reputed in their country) to set up satellite campuses
in India is welcome. While it is true that just the setting up of campuses by
these universities will not guarantee quality education or admission for all
aspirants, if they can employ the same high standards they do in their home
countries and are able to bring top notch faculty members as visiting lecturers
for decent periods of time (while simultaneously training local educators),
they will transform higher education in India and will usher in competition
that will force all higher educational institutions in India to spruce up the
courses they offer and employ better teaching methods . The UGC has done well
to allow a good degree of autonomy to these foreign institutions and a long
period of 10 years with the usual conditions that the courses should not be
against India's interests and students must not suffer if a course is discontinued.
The criticism
that these institutions will be elitist falls flat because in any case, a huge
number of Indian students (over 4.5 lakh every year) go abroad for higher
education. If there are students in India who desire foreign education and who
have the funds to finance it (or obtain education loans or part or full merit
scholarships), there is no harm in allowing such students to pursue these
courses in foreign universities in India. But the fact remains that the heavy
lifting in higher education will still be done by Indian institutions and the
UGC will do well to keep on supporting them. In fact, after foreign
institutions set up campuses in India, the UGC will have to support Indian
institutions more to ensure that they do not fall short and continuously update
their curriculum and teaching methods to remain relevant.
