The Bill provides for what it says is quality control: universities have to commit that the curriculum, teaching methods and faculty are comparable to what it is offered in its home country. More important, it recommends thought control: it has to ensure that “it takes into account the cultural and linguistic sensitivities of the people of India”. It shall also “not offer a course of study which has a content adversely affecting the sovereignty and integrity of India”.

How does one ensure that any university maintains its commitments once it is granted recognition? The UGC may recommend derecognition if it is satisfied that the university has not maintained standards of higher education as prescribed in the UGC Act or any other Act. The derecognition will be effective at the end of the academic year, with the onus on the central government to make alternative arrangements for the students enrolled in that university.

What about the employees of a derecognised university? The foreign university has to maintain a corpus fund of at least Rs 10 crore. Of the income arising from this corpus fund, at most 75 per cent may be used for developing the institution, and the remaining has to be reinvested into the corpus fund. This corpus fund may be attached by the central government if it cancels the recognition given to the university, and the funds will be used to make any payments due to employees.

The central government may exempt certain universities of “reputation and standing” from any of these provisions. It shall take the advice of an advisory board consisting of distinguished academics as well as chairpersons of UGC and other regulatory bodies such as the All India Council for Technical Education and Medical Council of India.

... contd.