BJP demands discussion on opening of foreign university campuses in India - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday demanded discussion on the cabinet's proposal to allow foreign universities to set up campuses in the country. The BJP has demanded a thorough discussion before its introduction. “This is not a Bill which can be passed upon introduction. It is a Bill which can change our education system and can modify our education system. Keeping all these things in mind, we will keep a keen watch on the Bill that is put before the Parliament by the cabinet and discuss whether it is to be taken up or not,” said S.S. Ahluwalia , senior BJP leader. In a move that could reduce the flow of Indian students abroad, the Government on Monday approved a proposal to allow foreign universities to set up campuses. Road and Transport Minister Kamal Nath told reporters that the long-standing proposal to reform the education sector will now go to Parliament for ratification. The entry of foreign universities has been opposed by political parties in the past due to lack of affordability by the poor. But experts have called for a revamp of the Indian education system, which focuses on learning by rote. Goldman Sachs counts the lack of quality education as one of the 10 factors holding India back from rapid economic growth. The demand for graduates over the next five years is likely to be 13.8 million, analysts have estimated. But with only 13.2 million students graduating over the same period, India will face a shortfall of 600,000 graduates.