Kapil Sibal, Indian Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD)

India is getting ready to formally welcome foreign universities to set up their campus and offer their degrees locally. Hitherto, foreign universities are allowed to have collaboration with local institutions of higher learning.

The Manmohan Singh government on Monday, March 15, gave the go ahead to table in Parliament to regulate the entry and operation of foreign universities.

‘The Foreign Educational Institution (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill, 2010 is a milestone. It will enhance choices, increase competition and benchmark quality’, Minister for Human Resource Development, (HRD), Kapil Sibal told the media after the Cabinet approved the bill, which was in the works for over four years. It will bring in foreign education providers for vocational education training also.

He said any request to set up a foreign university campus would be cleared within eight months. They will have to be registered with University Grants Commission, which regulates higher education in India.

Sibal said that quota laws will not be applicable to foreign universities coming to India.

Already four foreign colleges are waiting in the wings to come to India.

These are Imperial College, (UK)

Duke College  (UK)

Georgia Tech (US)

Schulich School of Business (Canada)

Though 100 percent foreign direct investment through automatic route is permitted in the education sector since 2000, the present legal structure in India does not allow granting of degrees by foreign educational institutions.