AAP Teachers Wing raises serious questions on UGC Foreign Higher Educational Regulations

The UGC has announced Regulations allowing Foreign Universities to set up campuses in India and offer certificates, diplomas, and degrees at UG, and PG levels.

Aam Aadmi Party Teachers wing has opposed the UGC Foreign Higher Educational Regulations, allowing foreign universities to set up their campuses in India. The AADTA has raised 15 questions about recently announced regulations.

The University Grants Commission has announced Foreign Higher Educational Institutions Regulations, 2023, for allowing foreign universities to set up their campuses in India.

The UGC Regulations Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India 2023 will allow foreign universities to set up campuses in India and offer certificates, diplomas, degrees, research and other programmes at the undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral and post-doctoral levels.

As per the regulations, universities will have to take prior approval from the UGC. These universities will have the freedom to decide their fee structure, however, it should be transparent and reasonable. They will also offer full or partial merit-based or need-based scholarships from funds such as endowment funds, alumni donations, tuition fees, etc.

As per the UGC Regulations, the qualifications awarded to the students on the Indian campus shall enjoy the same recognition and status as if they were conducted in the home jurisdiction of the Foreign Higher Educational Institution.

AADTA in a statement has strongly opposed the regulations and has stated that this will allow foreign universities to act like coaching institutes in India.

Seema Das, a Member of the Delhi University Executive Council who is also a member of AADTA SAYS: “AADTA strongly opposes University Grants Commission (Setting up and operation of Campus of foreign Higher Education Institutions into India) Regulations, 2023, which converts educational institutions in commercial enterprise, elitist enclave and distant from Indian socio-economic-cultural problems. This is the reactivation of the 'drain theory', by which these educational East India companies will try to plunder the vast education sector. The social justice concerns have been totally ignored which is very important in our context where higher education is a very effective means for social change."

The AADTA has stated that the UGC has totally disregarded the opinion of the teacher’s organizations on the draft regulations on campuses of the foreign universities/HEIs and made a unilateral decision by the notification on 7th November 2023.

“UGC has opened the doors for foreign Universities, not for the welfare of students but they are to act like coaching institutes. There is no emphasis on research and innovation. The difficulty is surmounted because the present government is moving away from strengthening Indian Universities under NEP 2020. This regulation is a reflection of shrinking funds for education by the Central government and will be in accordance with the motive of New Education Policy 2020,” reads the AADTA statement.

It has raised 15 questions regarding the Regulations:
1. The Regulations have no provisions for caste-based/Economic/Minority based/Armed Forces based/ Divyang based/ Kashmiri migrants/Representation based/Women reservation in (a) student admissions (b) Faculty/Staff Appointments i.e No reservation for SC/ST/OBC/EWS/PH/Armed force/Women in admissions & appointments
2. No clarity on the syllabus and its content from the regulations.
3. No elected representative in governance/Governing body
4. No clarity on the regularity mechanism for fees. No clarity on range of tuition fee/development fee/Overall fee
5. No provision for fee concession for needy/Weaker section/Women/Deprived class students and generic mention for optional fee concessions under tuition fees only is not suffice (under clause 5-5). There is no provision for relaxation under development charges.
6. Complete Subjectivity and ambiguity in eligibility for opening campus in India (Regulations point number 3.1 & 3.2). The loopholes are so wide they can be easily being misused by substandard and fly by night operators to gain entry.
7. In case two or more foreign higher educational institution intending to collaborate to establish campuses in India then it is not clear that which one will award degree to the students (3)(2)?
8.On the one side general instruction 7 (3) say the program will be in offline mode but at the same time it is permitting 10% lectures in online mode. In this matter also, why shouldn't observe the norms of their respective parent universities/HEIs?
9. If foreign institution fails in its operations, how UGC will take care of students studying in these institutions?
10. Subjectivity and ambiguity in procedure for approval: No clarity on constitution and composition of UGC standing committee for monitoring/Approval granting for setting up and operation of campuses of foreign HEI in India.
11. Subjectivity and lack of clarity in procedure over merits, credibility, strength etc. (Clause 4.3 in Regulations)
12. No clarity on admission procedure and Qualifications
13.  Complete autonomy in appointment of faculty and staff and their Service conditions, salary has very serious implications in Indian context.
14. The effective mechanism and time span for redressal of grievances for students as well as teaching and nonteaching staff is missing under the regulations.
15. How and who will do quality assurance audit?

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