Problems of Foreign Universities Operating in India

Another wish of Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibbal, who is trying to bring about radical changes in the field of education, is about to be fulfilled. As soon as the Foreign Educational Institution (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill gets the nod from Parliament, foreign universities would open their campuses in the country and Indian students would get degrees of renowned universities like Stanford, McGill, Simon Fraser, Quebec, and Montreal, sitting at home.
Courses and Quality
There are no two opinions about it that this bill would expand choice, competition, and quality, and the way nearly 265,000 Indian students spend Rs. 270-billion every year in the name of getting education abroad would be saved.

Our children would also be saved from tolerating the sting of racial abuse abroad. But at a time when Indian universities are way behind developed and Western countries in the matter of courses and quality, opening the country's doors to foreign universities would be like pushing them into unequal competition. Would it not affect the development of domestic universities? This is the reason why some political parties are opposing this step from the beginning. There is certainly need to think seriously about these questions before making the bill into a law.

Intention of Making Money
One more thing, there would be no provision of reservation in foreign universities and hence Dalits (oppressed sections) and backward classes would not get the benefit of this privilege and only the elite class would dominate here. This would not only impair collective thinking, but the dividing factors of elitism, rich and poor would further grow in the society.

Foreign universities look at India as a big education market. They would come here with the sole intention of making money. Their aim would not be to raise the level of education in the country to the peak. It is also apprehended that they would only emphasize on costly short-term courses that earn more profit for them.

The bill talks about a corpus fund of only Rs.500 million to open their campus, which is quite meager. In this situation, the government would have to be careful that no unknown educational institution opens its branches in the country. It would be better if the government classified the institutions from now itself and ensured that only top institutions came here.

If that does not happen, foreign universities would also meet the same fate as 400 universities and 20,000 colleges of the country. From this viewpoint, the present system of certification of quality of education would also have to be improved. Only then we would be able to keep effective watch on the activities of the universities.

BJP Returns to Old Agenda

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has yet again trumpeted the issue of construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya. This was strongly asserted at the party's national executive meeting currently being held at Indore in Madhya Pradesh. Although the session is being held under the presidentship of new president Nitin Gadkari, yet, for once, the party avoided spitting venom against Muslims. Whatever the party has said on issues like Ram Temple and reservation for Muslims is glaring evidence that the party is not at all prepared to change its color, and continues to hold on to its earlier stand and principles.
While reiterating its stand on construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, the BJP made an appeal to Muslims to facilitate its construction. This implies that the BJP wants that Muslims should give up the case of Babri Mosque. It is a different issue whether Muslims would give up the case, but Nitin Gadkari has commented on the issue that the "case is pending in court where it appears difficult that the court would give a satisfactory ruling."

Faith and Confidence in Judiciary
Why does Gadkari feel that the court may give a ruling known only to him? Yet, as far as Indian Muslims are concerned, they have full faith and confidence in judiciary. Further, they have maintained from the beginning of the Babri Mosque dispute that they would abide by court ruling, whatever it be. The issue, however, does not relate to Indian Muslims alone, but it concerns everyone who has confidence in the country's judicial system. Every person, who may belong to any faith or religion, believes that the parties concerned should abide by court ruling in this dispute.
While speaking on the Ram Temple issue, the BJP has offered that should Muslims leave the place for the construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya, the BJP would extend all help in construction of a huge mosque by acquiring nearby land. It is not appropriate to speculate on how the common Muslim feels about the issue, or how the Muslim leadership would react and respond to the offer.
Nitin Gadkari, however, deserves to be commended that he avoided the use of provocative language. This is because the way the BJP and its allies have so far been raising the issue, has always served to vitiate the atmosphere of peace and amity.

Muslim Reservation Issue
Coming down heavily on reservation for Muslims, Nitin Gadkari maintained that such a measure would create differences and dissension. Only the BJP president can answer in what way reservation for Muslims would create the divide.
Should one take that the BJP is greatly afraid of reservation for the Muslim community? Wherever any reservation has been granted or wherever there is a proposal to do so, the basis of such a reservation is not religion but backwardness of the people belonging to some sects among Muslims.
Since the Indian Constitution envisages that all citizens should be accorded and afforded equal opportunities, it implies that all backward people in the country should be granted reservation, irrespective of their caste or creed, religion or faith. It is baseless even to think that it would create a divide among people. One wonders whether the divide in Hindu society has widened by the grant of reservation to the weaker and backward sections of Hindu society?

Gap Between High Caste Hindus and Dalits
Certainly, it hasn't. It is a hard fact that because of reservation, the gap between high caste Hindus and Dalits has reduced, as Dalits have risen out of their backwardness and deprivation because of reservation.
Anyway, whatever be the tone and tenor of the BJP and its president Nitin Gadkari at the meeting of the party national executive, it is certain that the BJP is not at all prepared to change its stand toward minorities, particularly Muslims. It also makes it clear that issues like construction of Ram Mandir abrogation of Article 370 and opposition to Muslim reservations, continue to be on its agenda.