HRD Ministry came in terms with Global Scholars to Teach in India

It might be a long run for India to manage to get Ivy League set its campus through the passing of Foreign Universities Bill, but it has come very close to draw over 200 academics from global universities to teach in India, spending $8000- $12000. Names like Dean Shulman, Indologist and one of the world’s best authorities on Indian languages, and Judith Butler (gender theorist and philosopher) are expected to teach at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi.

Through the new scheme of HRD Ministry Global Initiative for Academics Network (GIAN), Smriti Irani is learnt to have come to an agreement already with academics from countries across the world to teach more than 200 short term academic courses in various Indian Institutes. The final list of expected global academicians under the GIAN initiative would be out once the screening process is over, which is due later this month. GIAN is a platform where reputed international faculty members and students can come in term with each other and share mutual knowledge and understanding under one roof. Many international universities of repute including MIT, Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford etc. have shown interest in the programme and there are many nations from which the academicians are expected to join int.

According to Professor Prasenjit Sen from School of Physical Sciences in JNU who is responsible for coordinating GIAN for all central universities said, “Over 50 courses by foreign academics are likely to be taught at Central Universities. And it is not just big varsities in metros that are drawing in academics. Among the universities where eminent academics will come are Assam University, Mizoram University, Tezpur University, University of Allahabad, Guru Ghasidas University of Bilaspur, JNU, University of Hyderabad, Central University of Gujarat and many more.”

A few IITs and IIMs have raised concerns about the payment of such high fees to the visiting faculty as there are insufficient funds available with many such institutes. Some of the IIMs which do not at all take any grant or financial support from the centre have argued about its inability to afford teachers at such high fees for their institutes.