Lok Sabha Question No. 607 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-24
Subject: Shortage of World Class Educational Institutions
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Ramcharan Bohra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-607 ANSWERED ON 24/07/2023

## Shortage of World Class Educational Institutions

## †607. SHRI RAMCHARAN BOHRA:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether there is a shortage of world class educational institutions in the country;

(b)  whether  less  number  of  foreign  students  are  coming  for  study  in  India  while  more number of Indian students prefer to study abroad;

(c)  whether  the  basic  facilities,  resources  and  teachers  are  not  adequate  in  the  existing Universities and education institutes in the country; and

(d)  if  so,  the  corrective  steps  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  provide quality higher education in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (Dr. SUBHAS SARKAR)

(a) No, Sir. The representation of Indian Higher Educational Institutions at global stage has been consistently increasing over the years in the global ranking frameworks such as the QS World University Rankings (QS Rankings) and Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THE Rankings). In QS Ranking, the number of institutions increased from 9 in QS - 2014 to 45 in QS-2024. Similarly, in THE Rankings, the number of ranked institutions increased from 4 in 2014 to 101 in 2023.

The Government is committed for improvement in the quality of educational institutions in the  country.  There  are  a  large  number  of  premier  institutions  and  Institutions  of  National Importance  like  -  Indian  Institutes  of  Technology  (IIT),  Indian  Institutes  of  Science Education & Research (IISER), National Institutes of Technology (NIT), Indian Institutes of Information Technology  (IIIT), Indian Institutes  of  Management  (IIM)  and  Central Universities.

Consistent with their reputation at global arena, IIT Madras and IIT Delhi have signed MoU for  setting  up  of  their  offshore  campuses  in  Zanzibar,  Tanzania  and  Abu  Dhabi,  UAE respectively.

Further, twelve institutions have been notified as Institutions of Eminence (IoE) to provide affordable world class academic and research facilities in the country.

(b) The number of foreign students coming to India is less than the Indian students who are going abroad for studies. However, the number of foreign students enrolled in our higher educational institutions has increased from 42,293 in 2014-15 to 48,035 in 2020-21 as per the report of All India Survey on Higher Education.

(c) & (d) No, Sir. The University Grants Commission (UGC) determines and maintains the standards of teaching, examination and research in universities and issues rules, regulations and  guidelines  from  time  to  time.  The  UGC  has  also  notified  the  University  Grants Commission  (Academic  Collaboration  between  Indian  and  Foreign  Higher  Educational Institutions  to  offer  Twinning,  Joint  Degree  and  Dual  Degree  Programmes)  Regulations, 2022 which not only enable Indian students to obtain degree from top-ranked foreign higher educational  institutions  at  affordable  cost  but  also  make  India  an  attractive  global  study destination.  National  Educational  Policy-2020  adopted  by  the  Government  envisions transforming the education system in the country. Several key initiatives/ reforms have been carried  out  in  the  higher  education  sector  which  include  National  Higher  Education Qualifications Framework (NHEQF); National Credit Framework (NCrF); multidisciplinary education; internship/ apprenticeship embedded  degree  programme;  establishment  of research  &  development  cell  in  higher  education  institutions;  multiple  entry  and  exit  in academic  programmes;  establishment  of  Academic  Banks  of  Credit;  common  university entrance test etc.

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