Education industry bats for accreditation in the proposed Education Policy

India's share of approximately 1 % international students can go up substantially, says experts

The Education Promotion Society of India has sought  an accreditation system in the country similar to the one in the developed countries. The society has observed there was an excessive state control in the education system, which it said, should change for the better.

The society is hoping the New Education Policy, which is expected this year, will come up with the proposed changes.

G Viswanathan, president of Education Promotion Society for India, said the new policy would be formulated this year and added a committee formed by the Centre had already submitted its report.

Acccording to Viswanathan, who is also chancellor of VIT, India could become on a par with developed countries if issues relating to regulation, infrastructure and curriculum were addressed.

He noted globally there were about 4.5 million students travelling abroad for education, with India’s market less than one per cent.  

Stringent regulation relating to affiliation, approval, NOC, permission and recognition had been hitting the industry, said Viswanathan. He said the affiliation system was prevailing only in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and the UK, which had introduced the affiliation system, had abolished it.

According to him, the US had been acknowledged as the leader in education and could maintain the standard due to proper accreditation system. He wanted the government to offer autonomous status to more colleges.  

“Excessive control means excessive corruption,” said Viswanathan, adding, for instance 13 NOCs were required to construct a campus in Chennai and each one takes its own time, and “if you don’t satisfy them you will not get (the NOC),” he said.