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.

Reforms in Madaris Education

It is quite disappointing that representatives of the Muslim community themselves dashed the hopes of reforms in madarsa education. More disappointing is that a large number of Muslim MPs did not even think it necessary to express their opinion about formation of a Central Madarsa Board. Had it not been so, only 18 MPs would not have participated in the meeting convened by Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibbal.

Opposing Formation of Central Madarsa Board
Those MPs that attended this meeting almost unanimously opposed the formation of a Central Madarsa Board. Some MPs said it in clear words that the government should not involve itself in this matter. This means they are satisfied with the education being imparted in madaris. One meaning of this satisfaction is that they are not bothered about the future of hundreds of thousands of students studying in these madaris. In the meeting convened by Kapil Sibbal, Union Minister Sultan Ahmed also spoke against the formation of a madarsa board. Now, when a union minister himself is trying to derail a good initiative being taken by his own government, how can we expect anything better to take place? It is difficult to understand why MPs of different parties, including those of the Congress party and its allies, are unable to trust the government?

The way Muslim MPs saw dishonesty in central intentions with regard to formation of a madarsa board would not send a right message amongst the Muslim community. No matter what Muslim MPs claim about the education in madaris, the future of children studying in them cannot be called bright. Madaris, which lay emphasis on religious education, are not being able to provide education in accordance with the needs of time, and the education that cannot develop their personality in accordance with the needs of time cannot be called useful.

Significance of Religious Education
Undoubtedly, religious education has its own importance in one's life, but only religious education is not everything. It is a good sign that despite the adverse attitude of Muslim MPs, the human resource minister has not conceded defeat. He should continue with his efforts, because it is not merely a question of reforms in madarsa education, but also of bringing the Muslim community in the national mainstream in a natural manner.

It would be better if representatives willing for progress of the Muslim community came forward and decided upon the outline of reforms in madarsa education in coordination with the government.

Demand of the Situation
Representatives of the Muslim community will have to understand that reforms in education being imparted in madaris are the demand of the situation, and they can send their suggestions and proposals in this regard to the union government.

Today, when the need for radical reforms in school education is being felt, it would be illogical to say that madaris should be left to their own fate. Undoubtedly, it is also not a logical argument that the government should provide economic aid, but should not worry about the manner, in which madaris are spending it.