'Educational East India Companies': AADTA opposes UGC rules allowing foreign university campuses in India

A day after Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced major expansion of UK universities’ footprint in India, the Academics for Action and Development Teachers Association (AADTA) have strongly opposed the UGC regulation 2023, which allows setting up and operation of campuses of foreign universities in India.

AADTA members argued that the University Grants Commission (Setting up and Operation of Campus of Foreign Higher Education Institutions in India) Regulations 2023, converts "educational institutions into commercial enterprise, elitist, enclave and distant from Indian socio-economic cultural problems".

Seema Das, former member of Delhi University’s Executive Council, said: “This is reactivation of '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 UGC has opened the doors for foreign universities not for the welfare of students but to act like coaching institutes. There is no emphasis on research and innovation,” Das said, and criticised the current government for shifting its focus away from strengthening Indian universities under NEP 2020.

Also read Nine UK universities to open in India: PM Keir Starmer calls it 'biggest expansion'

Major concerns raised by academics

The UGC regulations 2023 are a reflection of reduced funding for public universities that are centrally-funded and aligns with the “motive” of New Education Policy 2020, the official statement read.

No reservation policy – The UGC regulations make no mention of reservation based on caste, financial background, armed forces, Divyang, Kashmiri migrant status, or gender. There is no quota announced for admission or faculty recruitment.

No clarity on syllabus - There is no transparency or guidelines regarding the curriculum, course structure, or syllabus alignment with Indian educational standards.

Lack of representation - The governance and decision-making body does not have an elected representative.

No fee regulation - There is no clarity on tuition fee, development fee, or about any concession policy for students belonging to the marginalised groups.

Also read 60 students and a year in GIFT City: Foreign universities plan expansion but rely on ‘mothership’ funding

'Loopholes' in UGC regulations

The UGC regulations 2023 allows international institutions to open campuses, which the teachers say could invite substandard or fly-by-night institutions.

There is no clarity on the constitution and composition of the UGC standing committee for monitoring and granting approval for setting up and operation of campuses of foreign higher educational institutions .

The 10-year permission limit could push universities to launch profit-based courses, while completely ignoring research in socially significant areas, the teachers said. Complete freedom in faculty recruitment, salaries, and service conditions was also termed as “very dangerous” by the teachers’ body.

They also noted that there is no clarity on the grievance redressal system or the time frame for addressing complaints from students or staff.