India Set to Alter Key Provisions in Bill to Allow Campuses Owned by Foreign Universities

To attract more top-quality institutions, India’s education ministry is set to change provisions in its proposed bill to allow foreign universities to set up campuses in India, reports the Indian Express. A parliamentary committee reviewing the legislation recommended the changes, which include a provision that would create a committee of academic experts that would invite elite universities to India, allowing them to bypass some bureaucratic hurdles. The revisions also would make sure new campuses aren’t only established in cities and to smooth the entry of certificate providers. For example, the bill in its current form requires all foreign higher-education providers to invest at least $10-million to establish operations in India. Under the revisions, that amount would would be lowered to $4-million for institutions offering certificates or similar qualifications.
India Experiences Slow Down in Student Loans for Study Abroad
A weak Indian currency and high interest rates has led to a drop in students taking out loans to study abroad, a trend that may grow in the near term, report the Business Standard and The Hindustan Times. In the April-September period, education-loan disbursement grew only 18 percent compared with almost 24 percent growth in the same period a year earlier, the Indian government said. “I think the slow growth is mainly a function of global uncertainty, which has probably played on the minds of risk managers at banks,” said Prashant Bhonsle of Credila Financial Services. “They may now perceive higher risks for students, as far as job potential is concerned,” Mr. Bhonsle added. Other bankers said the number of students planning to go abroad for higher education may be declining, which might have led to the reduced growth rate of loan disbursals.