Indians by and large have foreign university degrees mania considered as world-class education. Yes, it’s true that no Indian university has been one among the top 100 world-class university so far due to lack of qualified faculties in sufficient numbers, academically gifted and successful students, excellence in research and publication, quality teaching at an international standard, high level of funding, and well-equipped facilities. And at the same time, all foreign universities where a large number of Indian students study are not world-class universities. Indians have special preference for foreign degrees. It is only rich and elite (less than 10% of India’s population) who are privileged to acquire the foreign degrees as they can afford financially, apart from miniscule few non-rich but highly meritorious who secured limited available scholarships through competitive tests and screenings. Upper middle-class another 20% or so of population (Lower middle-class and lower-class, referred to as cattle-class by Lutyens Media constituting 70% of population can’t think for foreign degrees) though very keen can’t afford it.

Truly non-existence of world-class university is unfortunate for a nation of 2^nd largest population with 3^rd largest economy as per PPP with more than seven decades of self-rule which aims to be Viswa Guru. Besides, India is home to world’s one of the oldest and richest civilization, developed rich scientific language, plenty of rich literary and spiritual works, architectural marvels, Ayurveda, Yoga and last but not the least ‘Zero’ without which no scientific work possible. Human civilization’s early universities were set up in Nalanda, Taxila, Sarada peeth, etc.

To carry forward my point of view, here, I bring to the notice of my readers my interactions/debates with some foreign educated academicians and intellectuals in the wake of Odisha Assembly passing of Vedanta University Bill 2007 proposed by industrialist Anil Agrawal to be set up on Puri-Konark marine drive with initial personal endowment of $1 billion with stated objective to make the varsity one among the top 50 world-class university within two decades. But the proposal is till date a non-starter mainly due to overt opposition from influential educationists and intellectuals and covert opposition of corrupt bureaucrats and politicians with full media backing.

Why did they oppose?

• Vedanta University will dwarf state premier Utkal University.
• It will destroy area’s holy sanctity and culture (Puri being Lord Jagannath’s abode and holiest place in Hindu religion apart from Konark being Black Pagoda). 3. Odisha is a backward state. Odisha government instead of wasting time to promote world-class university should concentrate on primary education.
• Local people don’t have required skills for employment in the university.
• Anil is an industrialist. Industrialist can’t be honest education promoter.
• Why 7,000 acres of land? University can be set up in less than 50 acres of land. Industrialist Anil in the disguise of promoting education is trying to grab precious land as a land mafia, etc. etc.

I went on countering them point by point with following rejoinders:

• I am a proud graduate from Utkal University. However, if my university can’t grow to be world-class university for whatever reasons, what is the fault of other university in its vicinity to be world-class? Further, a world-class university in vicinity might inspire/guide my university (Utkal University) to scale new heights.
• As per Indian culture, education and religion are complementary to each other, whereas in West, education and industry are complementary. By setting up VU at Puri, religion, education and industry can grow together and can bring economic development and prosperity to Odisha. Further, holy Lord Jagannath’s abode and its unique universal culture and value would get more exposure and attention. By not having VU, has the Odisha culture not been invaded and academic sanctity in institutions not destroyed? Earlier, for college annual functions, eminent speakers in area of philosophy, literature, education, politics, culture, economics, media, etc. were invited. Now, Bollywood half-naked pop dancers have almost replaced them.
• Yes, agree that Odisha is a backward state. Was the US a developed nation when in 19^th Century its industrialists went on setting up world class varsities there?

Here, I present some data on direct contribution of two US Universities to local economies and generation of employment*.

1. In 2006, Stanford University spent over $2.1 billion in its local counties, which was just under half of its total revenues. Additionally, in 2006, SU was Silicon Valley’s single largest employer.
2. As reported in 2007, University of California, Berkeley, 81% of its $1.6 billion budget spent on salaries, goods and services in the Bay Area and employed 25,700 people.
3. The 2011 report showed that by the time, it was paying more than $2.5 billion in salaries and employed over 43,500 people with economic output of more than $4.6 billion.
4. More impressively, a 2014 report revealed that the varsity had created 2,610 active companies which employed 5,42,433 people with estimated revenue of $317 billion per year and 55% of those companies were located in the local Bay Area.
5. Regarding the allegation that local people don’t have required skills for employment, I reminded them that when India’s first IIT with US’s MIT model was about to be set up in early 1950s at Kharagpur, India didn’t have required skilled people. So, Swiss architect Dr. Werner M. Moser assisted in infrastructure development and European scholar Prof R. A. Kraus and Prof. H. Tischner’s services were requisitioned for developing of course curriculum. Later he became the Head of Department of Electronics department.
6. In so far as allegation that Anil is an industrialist and industrialist can’t be trusted for academy, “Who’s founder of IISc which is No.1 varsity in national ranking of higher education in India now and what was he?” And who are the founders of world class universities abroad?
7. If university can be set up on 50 acres of land why then an engineering college allotted more than 100 acres in the same Puri-Konark marine drive, Utkal University got 400 acres and IIT-Kharagpur allotted 2100 acres? For further explanation on need of large track of land, the examples of Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley can be referred.

Sadly, even after seven decades of independence, India could not get a varsity’s name among the top 100 world-class universities. Is it because those, who are supposed to build and facilitate building of world-class universities, are not committed to do so? Or is there any hidden agenda? During initial days of independence, India had laid the foundation for world-class varsity in the name of IIT. But India couldn’t sustain that zeal, and till date quality education remains a non-starter.  And Indian students (about 7.5 lakhs as the Ministry of External Affairs data released in 2019) spend $7 billion or around Rs 45,000 crore per year, which is 60% of national annual budget allocated for higher education, on foreign education because of "sub-standard" higher education in the country, ( As per industry body Assocham and Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences 2015 reports).

Now as reported in several media, the US will not allow foreign students to remain there if their classes are going to be held online mode in the upcoming semester. Also the move will hit those who have secured admission for the fall session beginning in August/September and those who had returned to their home countries due to pandemic. Several foreign universities sent students back home, while classes have now been switched to online. Though colleges have resumed virtual sessions, many students and parents are not satisfied with digital classes. “The online classes are bit difficult for beginners as the foreign education system is different,” said Jayesh Jacob of Royalae World, education and career services as reported in Deccan Chronicle.

In the given situation, one can understand the mental plight of students and their parents. Every crisis comes with an opportunity, let us use this opportunity, which has come in disguise of dreaded COVID19, to build world-class universities to acquire world-class degrees back in India. In the process, not only the flight of precious foreign exchange can be rescued but it can be earned and pave way for reversed the brain-drain of academic, scientists, entrepreneurs, etc.

*https://www.bestvalueschools.com/rankings/colleges-regional-economic-drivers/

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