Worry over opening Indian GAT(E)S to higher education
Intensifying their struggle against the proposed World Trade Organization’s General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), which aims at opening of Indian education sector for foreign universities, a section of educationists, senior academicians, politicians and activists from across the country organized a discussion on the proposal and its effects in Chennai recently.
The Indian government has already expressed readiness to sign the agreement, which would allow educational institutions from 160 member nations of the WTO to establish higher education institutes in India as commercial ventures. While some view GATS as a positive move since students can have greater access to a wide range of education opportunities at home or abroad, the speakers in the discussion on Thursday expressed concern that it would lead to total commodification of education.
(Courtesy of Sannam S4)
Source: New Indian Express
