Higher Education: New import
While in principle welcome to FHEIs in India should receive an applause, the real gains will be dependent on their working to mutual advantage. — Dr. Jaya Kakkar
Of late the Indian education system at the higher education is rapidly evolving. This is on account of a number of catalytic factors. Thus students have begun to expect more, evolving competition in this sector among existing public and new private sector players, availability of global collaborations, sharper focus on research, especially quality research, increased assessment of these institutions by bodies like NAAC, NIRF, AICTE, UGC, etc., complaints from the employers about unemployability of the graduating class, etc. etc.
In pursuit of greener pastures (better education and consequent employment opportunities abroad) increasing number of students have been emigrating for higher education. Over 7.5 lakh Indians migrated for education in 2022; this number was nearly 5.86 lakh in 2019. And this despite foreign degrees becoming more expensive. Notably, the lure of foreign education among Chinese students is dwindling while for Indian students there is no looking inward.
In this background foreign higher educational institutions opening campuses in India is an exciting moment for our education system. They could certainly offer new stimulus to studies here. Indian students would receive the education available in some of the best universities abroad sans pinching of pockets or change of location. Presumably it would also turn India into an educational hub with international staff and students from all over the world – in pursuit of quality education which is more accessible, financially and geographically.
Thus this may be the beginning of a new phase in the Indian higher education space. Over time, marquee institutions will aim at setting up Indian campus to not only accommodate Indian students (who currently disproportionately sit on benches occupied by all foreign students) but also students from nearby countries. Indian faculty will gain in terms of getting opportunity to learn from best practices adopted by these institutions. Not only this, while these institutions are here, they will collaborate with their Indian counterparts as also Indian industry and produce research and innovation relevant to Indian setting. In short the gains would be to students, academia, industry, economy, and society. There is a real potential that India begins to ascend in the global higher education landscape.
And yet, this excitement needs to be tempered with worlds of caution. There are many unanswered questions and debatable issues.
For example, the regulations say that a foreign higher education institution (FHEI) would have to be among the 500 best in global rankings, or in subject wise ranks. But there is not one ranking agency. In the event, due to this vagueness it is quite possible that less than the best universities gain entry with the sole motive of mining money. Surely that is not what NEP has bargained for.
There is a possibility that average fee for higher education may increase in India. If FHEIs can repatriate money to their principals, they can engage in profiteering. Not only this, this will also motivate the domestic institutions directly competing with them (NITs, IITs, IIMs, best law schools) to hike their fees. And if these foreign universities are not allowed to make money, why should they be interested in setting up campuses in India?
The government has tried to ensure that only serious players enter India through this route. Thus it has been mandated that franchisees, study or learning centres may not be permitted since they operate with the sole purpose of marketing for enrolling students for the main campus. But then if these ‘serious’ players poach on domestically available competitive and competent faculty members the complete autonomy given to these FHEIs will tantamount to little gain in terms of ‘additional’ intellectual gain. But, on the other hand, the local talent will face indirect competition from the foreign faculty members and will aspire to train better. What will be the ‘new normal’, it is difficult to predict.
On paper UGC (alone) will scrutinize applications for setting up a campus. The FHEIs will have their own recruitment and admission policies, fee structures, courses, will award their own degree, and will conduct research. UGC will have the power to monitor the courses, quality of education, its suitability, the number of awarded degree, and graduating students. In general the best foreign institutions feel diffident in setting up overseas campuses since they find it difficult to import (into the host country) their desired ethos and traditions. In addition, the UGC scrutiny might not be welcome for them. UGC will have the power to suspend or withdraw permission if, say, for example, it opines that the course hurts India’s sovereignty and security. But this is a very subjective assessment. Likewise it is not clear how the UGC will ascertain the ‘quality’ of the course taught – what will be the parameters to judge and who will be appointed to judge this ‘quality’.
Perhaps a collaborative model could benefit both India and the foreign countries partners. These foreign institutions are being invited under regulation (by the UGC) to set up and operate campuses of FHEIs in India. This regulation insists that an FHEI should have an independent campus with physical, academic and research infrastructure and facilities to conduct academic and research programs. But why would a FHEI do so, other than when it is doubly assured on its return on investment? That is why it would have been better if the government would have allowed a collaborative campus model which would have benefitted both partners.
One aim behind inviting these institutions – there are only 333 FHEIs in the world, according to one estimate – is to eventually make India an attractive global study destination. Will it happen? Well, it depends on many imponderables. One, which FHEIs accept our invitation? Two, what programs do they decide to offer? Three, whether they would engage internationally acclaimed faculty or local talent? Four, how would the students be selected? Five, what quality parameters will be deployed? Six, how will be the quality maintained? The list is rather long.
At the end of it all, there is no denying the fact that the country needs considerable inputs and investment in education to ensure world class education. Similarly research output will certainly get a quantum boost with foreign help. The regulation to invite FHEIs would help if Indian students get quality education at significantly lower cost. At the same time if it would mean poaching of students (who could have gone to IITs/IIMs, etc.) and faculty (who would have taught there) by these institutions, it is debatable how much of a net gain would occur to Indian education.
Well, it is early days to pronounce a verdict.
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