Quota in Foreign universities in India too: Arjun

New Delhi, Sep 20 (UNI) Foreign universities to be set up in the country will have to abide by the law of the land on reservation, Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh today said.

If a law applies to an Indian university, it will equally apply to another institution operating here, Mr Singh told reporters here.

The provision for quota has been made in the Foreign Education Providers Regulation Bill, which has been referred to a Group of Ministers, and was expected to be introduced in the winter session of Parliament.

However, the Bill for 27 per cent quota for OBCs in elite educational institutions of the country that was introduced in the last session of Parliament is still with its Select Committee for critical scrutiny before it is put to debate in the winter session.

The Bill called the Central Educational Institutions(reservation in Admission) Bill provides for phase reservation in Government aided higher education institutions along with 50 per cent increase in general seats to ensure that the interest of general category students do not suffer.

The legislation was mooted following violent protest against the 27 per cent reservation announced by the HRD Minister a few months back.

A study by the Commerce Ministry in the context of reservations in higher education institutions suggests that raising the seats in institutions of higher learning by about 50 per cent would require about Rs 20000-25000 crores.

Since this huge amount cannot be provided by the public exchequer at one go, a mix of the following steps would seem to be necessary: Increasing seats in government colleges/universities in a phased manner, allowing these institutions to raise their own resources and finally provide a more liberal regime for private and foreign education providers.

Indeed, NIEPA has recommended that institutions of higher education should make efforts to raise their own resources by raising the fee levels, encouraging private donations and by generating revenues through consultancy and other activities.

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