The government is seeking to expand access to higher education to 50 per cent of high school students by 2035

With over 750,000 Indian students studying abroad, India through the new National Education Policy 2020, has given the go-ahead for foreign universities to open campuses in the country. This is an effort to reform and boost education across India as well as to strengthen the economy which has been slipping due to the COVID-19 pandemic, says a report by The New York Times.

An official statement said the government will allow entry of top world ranked universities to open campuses in India. However, in the past, the ruling party had opposed several attempts by previous administrations to open up the sector to overseas institutions, said the report.

“But many government officials have been pushing the move as over 750,000 Indian students study abroad, spending billions of dollars outside the country every year,” the report highlighted.

Critics say it remained to be seen whether top-ranked universities would open campuses, considering a regulatory framework that will also cap fees charged by educational institutions.

According to The New York Times report, Higher Education Secretary Amit Khare told reporters that the government is seeking to expand access to higher education to 50 per cent of high school students by 2035, aiming to add about 35 million new places for students and achieve universal adult literacy before that date.

The reforms would also include directives such as making school education compulsory from the age of three and encouraging the study of Sanskrit and other Indian languages as well as technology, the report said.

Read the complete report in The New York Times