09-16-2006, 01:27 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Arjun set to spike entry of foreign universities </b>
Santanu Banerjee | New Delhi
Pioneer.com
Even as the HRD Ministry is drafting Foreign Education Providers (Regulatory) Bill (FEPB), Arjun Singh is all set to take on the pro-reform and pro-liberal lobby within the UPA Government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The Ministry insiders believe that though Arjun Singh may have to accept and incorporate some of the liberal views from another higher education think-tank, the National Knowledge Commission, he is not giving up without a fight and has managed to create sharp division within the UPA on the issue.
According to sources, FEPB has been drafted in accordance with stringent regulatory recommendations made by both CNR Rao Committee and AICTE views favouring a strict regulation regime on foreign universities that want to venture into India.
The draft bill seeks to bring the foreign universities under rigorous Government rules that would provide for a strict monitoring on their fee structure, inclusion of reservation for SC/ST and OBC groups and all other major do's and don'ts prescribed under rules. It has a financial penalty clause in case of violation by foreign universities.
The National Knowledge Commission (NKC) openly advocated a policy of massive private participation in higher education and suggested that well-known foreign universities willing to operate in India should be encouraged to cater for a large number of students aspiring for higher education abroad.
Speaking to reporters a few months back, NKC chairman <b>Sam Pitroda had argued that Government did not have adequate resources for a major expansion of higher education and private participation was a must for the growing demand.</b>
Recently, Commerce Ministry with the tacit approval of Finance Ministry had also advocated a similar approach.
It had pointed out that affluent parents were spending huge amounts of foreign currency to get their children educated abroad resulting in both brain and foreign exchange drain. <!--emo&:roll--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ROTFL.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='ROTFL.gif' /><!--endemo-->
"<b>The only way to stop this drain on human and financial resources is to allow reputed foreign universities to operate in India,'' </b>a senior Government official said.
The liberal lobby wants that the draft bill should reflect that the country is willing to encourage foreign universities willing to invest in India, said a Government official.
This is the issue over which the next battle between the Prime Minister's Office, pro-liberal lobby in UPA and Arjun Singh would take off.
<b>``There is no use going for regulations which will discourage them from making investment in India,'' </b>an official said, adding, ``<b>We should try to liberate education from a politically-driven agenda and try to make education a humane commercial activity which would offer equal opportunities to all.''</b>
According to sources, the <b>liberal lobby within UPA also fears that the HRD Ministry is planning to bring another bill for implementing 27 percent OBC quota in unaided private institutions and this might run into a conflict with the FEPB.</b>
<b>``After all the foreign universities will also be (in equal terms) private unaided institutions, unless a proper perspective is taken before hand there will be complications,'' </b>pointed out a senior Government official.
However, Arjun Singh has done his homework to take on the liberal lobby. He has persuaded some UPA allies to support his stand on regulation of the foreign universities in India.
<b>Singh also expects solid backing from UPA's Left supporters </b>who have already expressed their reservations about allowing the foreign universities' operation in India.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Santanu Banerjee | New Delhi
Pioneer.com
Even as the HRD Ministry is drafting Foreign Education Providers (Regulatory) Bill (FEPB), Arjun Singh is all set to take on the pro-reform and pro-liberal lobby within the UPA Government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The Ministry insiders believe that though Arjun Singh may have to accept and incorporate some of the liberal views from another higher education think-tank, the National Knowledge Commission, he is not giving up without a fight and has managed to create sharp division within the UPA on the issue.
According to sources, FEPB has been drafted in accordance with stringent regulatory recommendations made by both CNR Rao Committee and AICTE views favouring a strict regulation regime on foreign universities that want to venture into India.
The draft bill seeks to bring the foreign universities under rigorous Government rules that would provide for a strict monitoring on their fee structure, inclusion of reservation for SC/ST and OBC groups and all other major do's and don'ts prescribed under rules. It has a financial penalty clause in case of violation by foreign universities.
The National Knowledge Commission (NKC) openly advocated a policy of massive private participation in higher education and suggested that well-known foreign universities willing to operate in India should be encouraged to cater for a large number of students aspiring for higher education abroad.
Speaking to reporters a few months back, NKC chairman <b>Sam Pitroda had argued that Government did not have adequate resources for a major expansion of higher education and private participation was a must for the growing demand.</b>
Recently, Commerce Ministry with the tacit approval of Finance Ministry had also advocated a similar approach.
It had pointed out that affluent parents were spending huge amounts of foreign currency to get their children educated abroad resulting in both brain and foreign exchange drain. <!--emo&:roll--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ROTFL.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='ROTFL.gif' /><!--endemo-->
"<b>The only way to stop this drain on human and financial resources is to allow reputed foreign universities to operate in India,'' </b>a senior Government official said.
The liberal lobby wants that the draft bill should reflect that the country is willing to encourage foreign universities willing to invest in India, said a Government official.
This is the issue over which the next battle between the Prime Minister's Office, pro-liberal lobby in UPA and Arjun Singh would take off.
<b>``There is no use going for regulations which will discourage them from making investment in India,'' </b>an official said, adding, ``<b>We should try to liberate education from a politically-driven agenda and try to make education a humane commercial activity which would offer equal opportunities to all.''</b>
According to sources, the <b>liberal lobby within UPA also fears that the HRD Ministry is planning to bring another bill for implementing 27 percent OBC quota in unaided private institutions and this might run into a conflict with the FEPB.</b>
<b>``After all the foreign universities will also be (in equal terms) private unaided institutions, unless a proper perspective is taken before hand there will be complications,'' </b>pointed out a senior Government official.
However, Arjun Singh has done his homework to take on the liberal lobby. He has persuaded some UPA allies to support his stand on regulation of the foreign universities in India.
<b>Singh also expects solid backing from UPA's Left supporters </b>who have already expressed their reservations about allowing the foreign universities' operation in India.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->