Recently, the UGC (University Grants Commission) gave the green signal and framed rules allowing foreign universities to set up their campuses in India. Since this announcement, people from various private and public institutions across India have expressed concerns about the move. While some welcomed the decision, others remained neutral, and many voiced opposition. But what exactly is this proposal? What are the concerns raised by different academicians? Is this a good or bad move?

According to the new rules, any university ranked within the top 500 globally, either overall or in specific subjects, can establish campuses in India. If it is not a university, it must be a “reputed” institution in its home country. These universities will have full autonomy over admission criteria, fee structures, faculty recruitment, program/course design, and pay scales. Unlike Indian institutions, they are not required to deposit a corpus fund, and they are allowed to transfer funds back to their home countries. However, they are prohibited from offering online courses, and faculty must be appointed on a regular basis.

The idea behind this move, according to the UGC, is to address the significant outflow of Indian students seeking higher education abroad. It is estimated that nearly 4.5 to 5 lakh students move overseas for higher studies, resulting in an outflow of $25-30 billion from India. The UGC hopes that by encouraging foreign universities to set up campuses in India, more students will opt to stay within the country while still gaining a quality education from top-ranked universities. This, in turn, could reduce the financial outflow. But is the UGC's aim primarily to curb the outflow of funds or to provide quality education as desired by students?

The cost of higher education abroad is notably high, varying across universities based on their global rankings. However, students who go abroad for education often seek not only degrees but also better career prospects and an improved lifestyle. Even if students who invest large sums of money in foreign degrees return to India, will they find job opportunities with comparable pay? After making such significant investments, can they afford to work for lower salaries in India?

Infrastructure: Building a world-class institution does not happen overnight; it takes years, even decades, for a university to evolve into a top-tier institution. If foreign universities establish campuses in India, will the infrastructure be on par with that of their main campuses? How long will it take for them to build such facilities? Many top universities with multiple campuses struggle to replicate the quality of their primary campus in other locations.

Faculty: A university's success is often tied to the quality of its faculty and the courses it offers. With foreign universities being granted full autonomy, what are the chances of recruiting both national and international faculty? When foreign companies set up industries in India, there were often demands from politicians to prioritize hiring locals. In this case, will the same apply? If these universities recruit mostly national faculty, what is the benefit of setting up a foreign campus? On the other hand, if they choose international faculty, the cost of education may rise.

Fee Structure: Many people, including government bodies, have a negative perception of private institutions, believing that they charge exorbitant fees while paying low salaries to faculty and staff. If you examine NIRF data from IITs and NITs, you can see how costly higher education already is. Despite this, discussions about reservations, quotas, and education for the poor continue. Some private institutions do provide quality education at reasonable costs. How can the UGC ensure that foreign campuses offer affordable education to the poor? Will the government offer scholarships to students who attend these foreign campuses?

Scholars: Faculty members hire research scholars when they receive funding for their projects. Will these scholars be national or international?

Courses: The UGC has stipulated that foreign campuses should not offer any online courses or programs—all courses must be conducted on campus. If this is the case, why has the UGC asked Indian institutions to offer 30% of their courses online? Why is a disparity between Indian and foreign institutions?

In conclusion, the establishment of foreign campuses in India is not necessarily a win-win situation for both sides. These views are personal and are not meant to convey a negative intention.

Dr. Mahaboob Subhani