New Delhi: The Union human resources development ministry led by Smriti Irani is working hard to bring back one of the UPA government’s pet projects, the Foreign Universities Bill, that will allow foreign universities to open branches in India. Sources said the proposed Bill is likely to draw heavily on the original legislation proposed during the UPA-2 government.
The proposal, mooted by then former HRD minister Kapil Sibal in UPA-II’s early days, had faced stiff opposition from the Left parties and even some BJP MPs who had objected to foreign players entering the education market. The earlier Bill had also drawn criticism in some quarters as it was felt by a section of the political leadership that it could spawn the growth of substandard
“teaching shops” in the country once the education sector was opened up.
The proposal was sent for detailed study by the parliamentary committee attached to the HRD ministry. The new Foreign Universities Bill is expected to be high on the priority list of the Modi government.
