Entry of Foreign Universities – a classic case for Management of Change

Be aware of two room universities – Chukka Ramaiah, popularly known as IIT Ramaiah is an Indian educationist and MLC of Andhra Pradesh, commented, on his return from US, about entry of two room foreign universities

We are all aware that there is a policy shift towards entry of Foreign Universities (FUs). Now FUs are permitted to impart education in India.

The debate is on. Whether it is good? When whole world is praising our intellectuals and our academic system, do we require it? What is lacking in our education system that necessitates our doors to be kept open in the name of globalization? Will it not kill our much prided heritage and culture upon which our unity in diversity rests?

Whenever there is major change in policy, there will be questions and answers. Whether for good or bad, Indian Government took its first cautious step towards it. We call it cautious, because so many strings are attached to it. FUs shall keep huge corpus fund and the operations shall be on strictly non profit basis. Further, non repatriation clause is made applicable to it. That means, they can not take money back to the host country.

So far so good, What is the next step?

Is this first step, is part of the process that is aimed at management of change to differ, divert and dilute the genuine concerns that are expressed in some quarters. Fear, based on past experience and the arm twisting tactics of Foreign players, there is every possibility, that these strings will be silently diluted with out causing much attention. This is latent.

Apart from this, the concerns expressed by Sri IIT Ramaiah, Learned Scholar, that there is a danger that two room universities might step in.

Apart from all this, once the fine print is out, there will be attempts by the intellects, to take advantage of the gray areas that might lurk under the regulations.

By looking at all this, as well as the huge investments that are required by FUs, the initial moves, are they plain and does not require much reading or is it another deliberate attempt to manage change. We need to wait and mmm……………………. see