Not yet time to allow for-profit institutions in higher education: Sibal

As it moves to establish deep collaboration with the United States in the field of education and woos top global universities to invest in Indias human resources

As it moves to establish deep collaboration with the United States in the field of education and woos top global universities to invest in Indias human resources,the government has made it clear that it wants to keep a safe distance from institutions which operate for profit in the higher education sector.

I dont think it is the right time yet to let for-profit institutions in higher education operate in the country. I am not saying such institutions would never be allowed in the future. But as of now,I can say the time is not right, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal told The Indian Express.

Sibal is headed to Washington next week,where he is scheduled to meet Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the first of its kind dialogue between the two countries on higher education. An offshoot of the India-US Strategic Dialogue,the talks are likely to become an annual affair involving government,academics and industry,and aim at fostering university linkages,student and teacher exchanges,and joint courses and programmes.

It is hoped that high-quality educational institutions in the US would be interested in tapping and investing in a large pool of young,English-speaking and bright student community in India,and the mutually-beneficial arrangement would result in the creation of a highly-skilled workforce.

Sibal himself has been a strong backer of inviting foreign university and institutions to set up campuses in India or to collaborate with Indian universities in various other ways. But he was keen to emphasise that the student community was not a market but a good investment opportunity that would yield benefits for both India as well foreign universities and industry.

Whether or not to allow for-profit institutions to operate in India is just one of the many debates raging on this issue. A Planning Commission approach paper for the 12th Five-Year Plan has advised looking at for-profit institution in a more pragmatic manner,the argument being that many of the top universities in the world would not be interested in coming to India if such rules existed.

But Sibal did not agree. Foreign universities are extremely keen to tap into human resources globally. They want to access human resources and to develop skills. And the Indian student community is rated as one of the best in terms of knowledge and intelligence. The large number of Indian students would attract the best of institutions from around the world, he said.

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The government is in the process of legislating a new law to regulate the entry and operation of foreign institutions in the country. The Foreign Universities Bill has met with resistance from some political quarters but Sibal said he was ready to clear all misgivings related to the Bill. While the government has allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment in the education sector since 2000,the present legal structure does not allow granting of degrees by foreign educational institutions.

Sibal said the government was talking to all stakeholders and would ensure that the Bill has everyones support.