Relevance : GS Paper II
The outflow of talent has heavily impacted the availability of highly qualified academics in Indian universities.
Efforts by the govt to counter ‘brain drain’
- Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN),
- Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme (VAJRA), and
- Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC).
Foreign faculties at Indian higher educational institutions
- There are just 40 foreign teachers at all of the IITs – only 1 %.
- Appointment of global staff is central to the new ‘Institutions of Eminence’ programme.
- Graded Autonomy Regulations of UGC allows up to 20% foreign faculty.
Have govt efforts been successful?
- GIAN has been successful in attracting many academics of Indian origin.
- Offering higher salaries with tax exemption has not been very successful in attracting faculty of foreign origin.
Challenges in attracting foreign faculties
- Dramatic changes in governance structure in higher education required.
- Dramatically enhanced funding would also be required.
- Practical realities of Indian universities make them unattractive.
- Indian academic salaries are not globally competitive.
Way forward to attract foreign faculties
- Indian universities need to become world-class.
- International competitiveness and secure positions in global rankings, which in turn would also attract more motivated students.
Conclusion
Some private institutions have proved that it is possible to attract foreign faculty.
