ExpertDabbler

All the bored IIT professors who write editorials in The MANDU family newspapers think Foreign University Bill is a useless idea. They argue that India needs way more universities than what a few foreign universities can provide by setting up shop here. There is an estimate that India needs at least 800 universities and these foreign shops will not solve our problems. Let us call them the ‘IIT dhaan best’ gang.

On the other hand, all the bored retired DINAMANI editorial reading tamil mamas think allowing foreign universities will mean education becomes business - ‘Ahaa kalvi vyabaram aayidum’. Alas they are yet to realize that business is a better idea than day light robbery. Let us call them ‘the Dinamani gang’.

For the Forbes reading ‘market economy’ gang the only thing that matters is whether the Whartons, MITs, Harvards, INSEADs will setup shop in India. Since they are as likely to come to India as Namitha is likely to act, we need to allow for profit companies to run universities.

I, for one will welcome foreign universities for different reasons. There is way too much money being paid to local third rate private institutions. A PG dental seat in any private dental college in and around Chennai fetches about 15-20 lakhs. This should be more for a PG medical seat. So in essence, this is PG auction, just like 3G auction. And it is no secret that these institutes are run by MPs, MLAs, Ministers or by their 1st/2nd/3rd wives/veppaatis etc. The principals and the HODs are mere puppets. The corruption levels in the education sector in India will make ‘Telecom’ Raja’ look like a saint.

Those who raise objection to foreign universities assume that the likes of Leeds Metro, and Edith Cowan universities would be worse than the Kaduvetti Guru college for degrees. I do not share such view. At least they are in the business of running educational institutions in their own countries and do not have liquor shop/jaadhi sangam background like some of the local patrons running private ‘professional’ colleges in India. Even conservatively assuming the ‘quality of education’ - god alone knows what that is, remains the same, I am hoping that more seats will bring down the current rate of 15 lakhs per PG seat to say, 8 lakhs per seat, and that is a good thing. Is not a 50% discount a good thing?

And as for the clichéd ‘Kalvi vyabaram aaydum’ dialogue, a businessman in a competitive setting will do more good for the society than a politically connected goonda indulging in daylight robbery under the guise of ‘Kalvi’. So, I welcome Foreign Universities!!!

This entry was posted on Friday, July 16th, 2010 at 4:03 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.