Once again, the Left has put the UPA government in a spot, this time over its WTO position on letting foreign universities in.In a letter last week, the Left Front’s Coordination Committee—the meeting is tomorrow—has asked the Commerce Ministry to withdraw the government’s offer made on higher education at the WTO negotiations in services in August.That would allow foreign universities to open their branches in India in any stream after government approval. A legislation has even been drafted to let such universities set shop on a trial basis.Virtually echoing the line taken by the swadeshi lobby in the Sangh Parivar, the Left has warned that the entry of foreign universities will foster ‘‘cultural insensitivity’’ arguing that their curriculum would have a viewpoint different to the country’s stand on issues such as Kashmir and the freedom struggle.The other fear, the Left says, is that by charging exorbitant fees, this would only add to the ‘‘urban elitist bias’’ as these would be thronged by children of the rich. Also it would result in poaching of the best teachers from IIMs and IITs.It wants Commerce Minister Kamal Nath to hold extensive consultations with all domestic stakeholders before tabling the offer on any sector.That would put the UPA in a spot considering the Cabinet approved India’s WTO position on July 30 and the Indian delegation extended a binding commitment in Geneva in August.The Government is expected to cite China’s open-ness in education, how other countries in the region are working hard to invite the world’s best campuses keeping in mind their demographics, how this will help stem brain drain, raise the bar in higher education and rope in students and their dollars from abroad.
