Cabinet clears Bill to setup foreign universities' campus in India
merisarkar news service
New Delhi, March 15, 2010
Now the bill would be sent to Parliament: Kapil Sibal
Government on Monday approved a bill to allow foreign education institutions to set up campuses in India and offer degrees.
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh chaired the Cabinet meeting that cleared The Foreign Educational Institution (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill.
Now the government would send this bill to the Parliament.
HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said this is a milestone which will enhance choices, increase competition and benchmark quality.
He was of the view that this will reduce the pressure on Indian students to go abroad to get a foreign degree.
The bill seeks to regulate the entry and operation of foreign institutions, which will set up centre and offer degrees in India.
The bill was hanging fire for over last four years owing to opposition from various stakeholder and political parties.
Some parties contended that poor students would not be able to afford the costly fees of these foreign varsities.
The proposed law prescribes 8 month time bound format for granting approval to foreign varsities to set up campuses.
