The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : “Differences stalling tabling of Foreign Universities Bill”

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 08, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

“Differences stalling tabling of Foreign Universities Bill”

Special Correspondent

Objections came from among the coalition partners: Vayalar Ravi

Photo: A. Muralitharan

INTERACTION: Vayalar Ravi, Union Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, with foreign students at SRM University in Kattankulathur near Chennai on Friday. —

CHENNAI: Ideological differences between the coalition partners of the ruling United Progressive Alliance came in the way of tabling the Foreign Universities Bill in Parliament, Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, said on Friday.

Inaugurating the Global Reach through Foreign Faculty and Students programme in SRM University, Kattankulathur, the Minister said the passing of the Bill would make it possible for Indian students to have access to world class facilities in educational institutions in advanced countries.

The objections came from among the coalition partners of the UPA Government, but they were hopeful of coming to a consensus so that it could be introduced in Parliament soon, Mr. Ravi said. A joint Parliamentary Standing Committee of the Ministry of Human Resources Development had recommended the adoption of the Bill. The Bill was ready last year, but could not be tabled due to objections from political parties. The Bill would encourage collaboration between Indian and foreign universities, and improve the quality of higher education in the country. It would result in the sharing of knowledge and exchange of information and culture, and improve ties between India and other countries, Mr. Ravi said.

“The Budget, presented by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, has made us a US Dollar Three Trillion economy,” the Union Minister remarked, adding that it was up to the youth to develop and sustain it.

Education is an important component of continuing the economic growth. Pointing out that the noon meal scheme and the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan were among the two schemes that helped spread school education, Mr. Vayalar Ravi said increased government-private partnership and greater thrust on research and development could further improve the quality of education.

Referring to a batch of Chinese students studying at SRM, the Minister said India and China had to work together to improve the living conditions of people in poor countries. The current budget had also increased by three times allocation to education and health, the two important sectors for overall growth, Mr. Ravi said.

P. Sathyanarayana, Vice-Chancellor of the private university, said they were planning to organise the event annually.

The aim was to provide a platform for foreign students to meet one another and exchange social and cultural values.

Ji Yanping, Chairperson, Sailcon Education Group, China, said that they had agreed to send 300 students to SRM this year and 2,000 in the next five years. Aoi Honda of the School of Systems Innovation and Informatics, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan; Andrija Maricic, Monash University in Malaysia; Vladimir A. Labay, visiting professor from the U.S.; and T.R. Pachamuthu, Chancellor, spoke.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu