FDI IN EDUCATION AND THE QUESTION OF INTELLECTUAL SELF-RELIANCE

Opening the higher education sector to foreign players has been one of the main agendas of the UPA Government. The Foreign Education Institutions Bill which was introduced in the

Parliament in 2007 was withdrawn after strong protests from the Left Parties. After assuming office in 2009, Kapil Sibal has declared that getting this bill passed will be one of his topmost priorities.

The Prime Minister’s Office has also been backing this bill. This bill is likely to be tabled in

the budget session of the Parliament. The government has been arguing that this will bring

quality and superior foreign education providers to India. Nothing can be farther from the

truth. Opening education to foreign players and bringing it under GATS will only aggravate

the trend towards commercialization and privatization. Most of the foreign education

providers which are seeking entry in India are substandard institutions in their own countries

and will only cater to professional/vocational courses where they are not required.

Out of 144 foreign providers advertising tertiary education in the newspapers, 44 were neither recognized nor accredited in their countries of origin. 110 foreign providers are already operating in this country without government permission, violating UGC guidelines, but no action has been taken against them.

Also allowing foreign players to operate in the higher education sector will severely

undermine indigenous and critical research and will compromise our intellectual self

reliance. Such providers which come to India would only have profiteering as their guiding

principle and would not have any concern towards addressing the socio-economic problems.

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