Question : Transform Higher Education

(a) whether the Government has released a five-year vision and action plan to
transform higher education by doubling enrolment and employability;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the salient features of the vision document;
(c) the manner in which it will be beneficial for the betterment of higher education in
the country as well as at par with the international standard;
(d) whether the Government is looking at allowing top foreign universities from the
US, the UK, Australia and other countries to set up off- campus centres in India;
(e) if so, the details thereof; and
(f) the time by which the said centers are started in the country?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL ‘NISHANK’)

(a) to (f): The Government has received recommendations of 10 Experts Groups
under Education Quality Upgradation and Inclusion Programme (EQUIP) on 10 focus
areas of higher education namely (i) Strategies for expanding access, (ii) Towards
global best teaching/learning process, (iii) Promoting excellence, (iv) Governance
reforms, (v) Assessment, Accreditation & Ranking systems, (vi) Promotion of
research & innovation, (vii) Employability & Entrepreneurship, (viii) Using Technology
for better reach, (ix) Internationalisation of Higher Education and (x) Financing higher
education. The recommendations have been sent to State Governments and other
related departments of Government of India for suggestions and comments. The
Government has not taken a final decision on the recommendations, their likely
financial implications and source of funding.

At present, there is no law which allows the entry and operation of foreign
educational providers to set up their campuses in India. However, the University
Grants Commission (UGC) has notified the UGC (Promotion and Maintenance of
Standards of Academic Collaboration between Indian and Foreign Educational
Institutions) Regulations 2016, which spell out the modalities regarding the eligibility
criteria and the conditions for the collaboration of a foreign educational institution
with an Indian educational institution. UGC regulations in this respect are available at
http://www.egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2016/170684.pdf.

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has also set norms for
academic collaborations and twinning programmes between Indian and Foreign
Universities/Institutions in the field of technical education, research and training in
India. AICTE norms in this regard are available at https://www.aicteindia.
org/sites/default/files/APH%202019-20.pdf.