Education: An engine for social sector growth

Acclaimed as a champion of infusing corporate investment in socio-economic sector, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is now focusing on yet another high priority area – foreign investment in higher education. He plans to open the education sector to foreign capital for the development of universities, skill training centers and high-end research institutions, albeit under PPP model.

Recognising the importance of development of quality and employable manpower as the primary requirement for the industrial growth, Naidu’s initiatives are said to have received positive nod of not only the academia but also the corporate world which aim to derive benefit from the infrastructure explosion that followed high voltage economic activity in the coastal state

Although the Andhra Pradesh government is still preparing to introduce Private University Bill in the forth coming session, the state administration is gearing to welcome private investment both – domestic and international – in to the sector. There are about 223 universities operating from 22 states which are competent to award degrees as per UGC Act section 22, with the approval of the statutory councils.

Interestingly Karnataka alone, in south India, allows private universities through a state legislation. Following closely is the Andhra Pradesh government which has drafted a private universities bill, which is in all likelihood to be tabled in the forthcoming monsoon session commencing by end of August.

As a prelude to this, the state’s HRD minister Ganta Srinivas Rao is leading a delegation to northern states including Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh to study conditions of the private universities there and to replicate their success stories in AP. In fact, Chandrababu Naidu is well versed in the art of promoting private investments in education sector.

Global institutes with PPP model According to the informed sources, the government is considering to develop at least 5 to 6 major cities as education hubs, which will have robust communications and connectivity facilities both – rail, air transport – to attract foreign universities to set up India specific campuses.

Apart from basic education and research, these hubs will extend facilities in skill development, online placements and also extension services to students, to update skills in e-governance tools etc, say officials. Naidu has envisaged a master plan to transform the cozy towns in hinterland of Andhra Pradesh into hubs for global institutions to generate employable and skilled workforce in the emerging digital boom in the coming years.

To recall, AP Chief Minister Naidu had stressed the need to have foreign universities especially in technology and marine sectors and had committed governmental support in terms of providing land, water, power etc.

Kuppam – A success story

In a private talk, people give full marks to Kuppam initiative, once a sleepy village in Naidu’s assembly segment, which now house a university, engineering, medical colleges with 750 bed hospital and degree and junior collages. All these institutes are thriving even without official patronisation since Naidu went out of power in 2003.

Thanks to the proximity of Kuppam to Chennai and Bangalore which is hallmark of its spiraling growth as an education hub. Naidu is considering replicating similar model in the proposed emerging smart cities and towns in coastal Andhra and other Rayalaseema to trigger their local economy and also bring around socio-economic development of the regions.

It is understood from the industry bodies such as Ficci and Assocham, had earlier suggested a study tour to European countries which had excelled in promoting education as an industry. With the known educationist P Narayana as the state’s minister, the Andhra Pradesh now appears to gain advantage of his experienced presence in attracting the foreign universities to set up their campuses in the state.

The focus on global universities has been on the anvil as part of the exercise to introduce massive reforms in the field of higher education. It is also an expansion of the erstwhile policy of the Naidu government to bring about collaborations of world’s universities on a knowledge platform.

The government is also considering establishing education city on the lines of ‘Rajiv Gandhi Education City’. Sources say that in the first phase such a city may come up at Amravati, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati, where the global universities can set up campuses attracting students not only from India but even from other Asian, Middle East and African countries.

In order to tide over the issue of finance, the government is considering flouting of separate SPVs with local partners under PPP model, who in turn have tie-ups with foreign universities and institutions. Accordingly, the government will offer land and other concessions as its part while the local partner need to pool up finances.

The government would be a minority partner in the governing council of such bodies to extract special treatment to local students, in terms of admissions, scholarships and placements etc.

By KVVV Charya