Date:13/11/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/11/13/stories/2004111303980400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Higher education in State set to get into reform mode

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, NOV. 12. With the World Trade Organisation-sponsored General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) coming into effect from January 1, 2005, the State Government is working out a policy framework to regulate higher education.

Speaking to The Hindu on Thursday, the Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE), K.C. Reddy, said India, as a signatory of GATS, would have to allow total freedom to service providers in education from all WTO members. This implies that curbs on foreign universities, as well as those on private ones, would have to go. Anyone would be free to invest in the education sector as a business as happens in other market economies.

"While we cannot stop either private or foreign universities from setting up shop or operating from our soil, we are working on a policy framework which is compatible with the WTO provisions, but safeguards the interests of Indian students," Prof. Reddy said.

Positive signals

The US-based private university, Georgia Tech, had already exhibited interest in setting up a campus in the State and is in the process of scouting for land in Hyderabad and Visakhapatanam. It may be recalled that another US private university, Sylvan International, was provided land by the previous TDP Government and had even started classes with about three score students before legal problems forced it to shut down.

Dr. Reddy admitted that there was an anomalous situation in the State with some private universities already in operation. At present they are not recognised by the State Government but they have received recognition by other States, he said.

"We recognise that the State needs more universities and we need to have a clear policy for the expansion of higher education. We also need a roadmap for the larger universities of the State, like Osmania and Andhra University, which are overburdened as affiliating universities and have lost much of their research capabilities," he observed.

A committee was likely to be set up within the next fortnight to formulate a policy on private universities and for the expansion of higher education in the State. It would submit its report by summer, by when the Government would be in a position to bring in a bill in the Assembly for regulation of private universities.