Sibal calls for policy framework for attracting private sector investment in education

Union HRD minister Kapil Sibal yesterday underlined the need for a policy framework to bring in more investment in the education sector from the private sector globally.

Inaugurating the FICCI Higher Education Summit 2010, Sibal said that both the government and private sector need to work out a framework for higher education under which private institutions would get the autonomy they deserve and be able to create a mechanism to develop accountability in order to deliver quality education.

''In the higher education sector, the private sector wanted total autonomy with no accountability while the Government did not wish to grant full autonomy but expected total accountability from the private players. This was not the way forward,'' he said.

''Autonomy and accountability must go hand in hand with strong partnerships between the private sector and the government and between universities at the regional and global levels,'' he added.

Releasing the report titled 'New realities, new possibilities - The changing face of Indian higher education', Sibal said the task in higher education in the country was daunting as more universities and colleges were needed to achieve the increased gross enrolment ratio of 30 per cent in higher education by 2020.

''India requires 800 universities and 40,000 to 45000 colleges to be built in 10 years. No government or country can produce and set up so many by 2020.''