At present… the cost of higher education in public universities ranges between Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000 per year. However, in contrast foreign universities are expected to charge anywhere between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 50 lakh per year which is an amount that puts them entirely out of reach for the lower and middle class.
Welcoming new foreign university campuses across India is being presented as a quick-fix for addressing the education quantity-quality gap in India. At the heart of this policy idea lies a fundamental flaw of access, making this yet another case for making the policy-system appeal to the needs of a narrower elite, leaving behind the vast majority of Indian students who can barely afford the rising costs of higher education. This is happening amidst amidst growing privatisation and regressive weakening of public institutions across India.
On closer examination, the assumption that foreign universities will enhance the higher education landscape is deeply misguided.
India’s higher education system is already at a critical juncture if we look at the school enrolment rate released by the World Bank. One can notice here how in 2023 Indian students were only at 33% compared to 75% in China and 60% in Brazil (2022). India’s performance in access to higher education, in terms of enrolment rates is much worse compared to other emerging countries, at similar per-capita-income.
On social classification, gross enrolment ratios are worse for marginalised communities across India where they are at just 25.9% for those in the Scheduled Castes and just 21.2% for those in the Scheduled Tribes. If the majority of India’s youth is already unable to access (from perspectives of approachability, affordability, availability) existing institutions, it is bizarre to expect foreign universities to address these core issues as their fee structures rival those of the most expensive domestic institutions.
Spatial gaps in rural-urban access pillars are not even a consideration for foreign universities setting up campuses, with their clear bias towards urban metropolises where willingness to pay for expensive higher education amongst the elite is most deeply concentrated.
Campuses set up by foreign universities in India will not cater to the millions of students struggling to access higher education but rather to a niche segment of wealthy families who can afford exorbitant tuition fees.
At present, this author estimates that the cost of higher education in public universities ranges between Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000 per year. However, in contrast foreign universities are expected to charge anywhere between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 50 lakh per year which is an amount that puts them entirely out of reach for the lower and middle class.
All this comes at a time when Indian households are already burdened with rising debt. The Household Consumption Expenditure survey 2023-24 pointed out that families are increasingly taking loans just to meet the daily expenses, covering essentials like healthcare, education and housing.
How can a country where people struggle to afford the most basic higher education, justify the presence of institutions that charge exorbitant fees in urban areas with no obligation to provide affirmative action, diverse representation nor subsidies, nor adequate support for marginalised communities? …
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University Grants Commission aiding the cult of personality
An Ode to the ‘Ad-Hoc’ Teachers of Ramjas English Department
After the truth-shower 