''They will poach our good Professors'': Academics, experts divided over UGC draft norms on foreign varsities

Shortly after the University Grants Commission(UGC) published draft norms for establishment and operation of foreign universities in the country, academics and industry experts shared contradicting views with some saying such varsities would not be able to address the unique problems of the Indian education sector.

Abha Dev Habib, a professor at Delhi University, questioned the stability of India's public education policy and poaching of professors once foreign varsities are established in the country, according to PTI.

Also Read: Foreign varsities will need UGC's nod to set up campuses in India

''With the kind of atmosphere currently, I do not think we will be able to invite good universities. Moreover, what will happen to the public education system here since these varsities will be poaching professors by paying them good packages. Our good professors will be hired there," she said.

On January 5, UGC Chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar said the foreign varsities and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) would need an approval from the commission to set up their campuses in India, noting that foreign universities with campuses in India can only offer full-time programmes in offline mode and not online or distance learning.

Habib also questioned how the UGC was formulating the norms when it was supposed to be dismantled under the National Education Policy - 2020.

"It is only unfortunate that the UGC, which is going to be dismantled, is making all the reforms. The very fact that the government does not have the will to discuss them as bills in Parliament is the reason that it is getting them introduced through the UGC,'' she added.

On the other hand, Vivek Kathpalia, Managing Director & CEO - Singapore, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, said that the UGC's draft regulations were quite flexible but stressed that some more clarity would be welcome.

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas is India's leading law firm that advises leading institutions, edtech companies, investors and policymakers.

"There are some areas where more clarity would be welcome, such as the role of AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) for technical courses. The draft regulations have a catch-all provision that could empower the authority to change the goalpost. This should be avoided and suitably clarified as regulatory certainty is key," Kathpalia said.

The UGC announced the draft regulations for 'Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India' and the final norms will be notified by the end of the month after considering feedback from all stakeholders.

UGC Chairman Kumar said that the initial approval would be for 10 years. The approval will be renewed in the ninth year, subject to the meeting of certain conditions. The institutions shall not offer any programme that jeopardises the national interest of India or the standards of higher education here, he added.

(With inputs from PTI)