US institutions keen to enter Indian education sector

Ahead of the introduction of a Bill allowing entry of foreign institutions in the education sector, the government has made significant progress in persuading US universities to partner with Indian institutes or set up campuses here.

HRD Minister Kapil Sibal led a delegation to the US last week and met the functionaries of leading universities which have "expressed keenness to come to India".

"It was a successful trip to the US. The American institutions have shown great interest in opening of the education sector in India," Sibal told reporters today.

He said the government is keen to introduce "as soon as possible" the Foreign Education Providers Bill in Parliament. Once the Bill is passed, foreign institutions will be able to come here and set up campuses or offer courses in partnership with Indian institutes.

Sibal held meetings with presidents and other functionaries of Harvard, Yale, MIT and Boston University among others.

He told them that while opening campuses, the foreign universities should not aim at making profit from the tuition and other fees related to imparting of the courses.

"They have accepted our views that they would not make profit from the tuition fee," he said. But such institutions can take up other projects through which they may make profit.