Every year, a significant number of Indian students pursue higher education abroad. They are drawn by various factors such as interdisciplinary curricula and independent study programs not widely available domestically.

For example in abroad, students can pursue specialized programs like an M.Sc. in Music or switch disciplines from engineering to other fields of interest. These opportunities are facilitated by foreign educational institutions. In contrast, such flexibility is limited within our current educational landscape.

To address this gap, the National Education Policy encourages globally renowned educational institutions to establish campuses in India, offering world-class education. Accreditation ensures the quality of degrees and institutions.

The influx of foreign educational institution campuses in India would foster healthy competition, prompting institutions to enhance educational quality, laboratories, and infrastructure. Additionally, scholarships support will be provided to economically disadvantaged and academically excellent students. However, the activities, quality and accreditation of these institutions will be continuously monitored.

Recent developments include allowing Bachelor's graduates to take the National Eligibility Test (NET) for direct Ph.D. admission, though they cannot qualify as Assistant Professors solely on this basis. Efforts to restructure online and distance education aim to improve quality, countering past issues such as fake universities, now reduced from 29 to 25 through state government actions.

Plans to consolidate regulatory bodies under a unified 'Higher Education Commission of India,' including bodies like the Pharmacy and Nursing Councils, are integral to the National Education Policy's vision.

--Professor Manish R Joshi, Secretary, University Grants Commission, New Delhi
Email: secy.ugc@nic.in