This document discusses India's response to negotiations on trade in educational services under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) within the World Trade Organization (WTO). It outlines that trade in educational services is an important issue for India that requires thorough analysis before commitments are made. The document analyzes how GATS applies to the educational sector and discusses India's competitiveness in educational services trade and options for negotiations and domestic reforms.
As the focal point in the United Nations system for investment
and technology, and building on 30 years of experience in these
areas, UNCTAD, through the Division on Investment and Enterprise
(DIAE), promotes understanding of key issues, particularly matters
related to foreign direct investment (FDI). DIAE assists developing
countries in attracting and benefiting from FDI by building their
productive capacities, enhancing their international competitiveness
and raising awareness about the relationship between investment
and sustainable development. The emphasis is on an integrated
policy approach to investment and enterprise development.
The term “country” as used in this study also refers, as
appropriate, to territories or areas. The designations employed and
the presentation of the material do not imply the expression of any
opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United
Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or
area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its
frontiers or boundaries. In addition, the designations of country
groups are intended solely for statistical or analytical convenience
and do not necessarily express a judgment about the stage of
development reached by a particular country or area in the
development process.
The Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health was adopted by the WTO Ministerial Conference of 2001 in Doha on November 14, 2001. It reaffirmed flexibility of TRIPS member states in circumventing patent rights for better access to essential medicines
The document summarizes the history of globalization and international trade agreements from the late 19th century to the establishment of the World Trade Organization in 1995. It describes how globalization declined after WWI as countries erected trade barriers but then rebounded with the creation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1948. GATT held a series of negotiation rounds to reduce tariffs and expand trade. However, GATT was imperfect so the Uruguay Round of 1986 established the WTO to provide stronger oversight of international trade.
The document discusses the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and international agreements in the pharmaceutical sector. It provides background on GATT and its evolution into the WTO. Key functions of the WTO include administering trade agreements, handling disputes, and cooperation. The WTO's Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMS) agreements are also summarized.
The document discusses several international treaties and conventions related to intellectual property rights (IPR), including:
1. The Paris Convention, one of the oldest intellectual property treaties administered by WIPO with 169 member countries. It establishes national treatment and priority rights.
2. The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) administered by WIPO with 128 members, which provides a simplified method for filing patent applications across multiple countries.
3. The World Trade Organization (WTO) which ensures trade flows smoothly between its 153 member countries and resolves trade disputes. Key agreements under the WTO related to IPR include the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the Agreement on Trade
General agreement on tariffs and trade (GATT)Nambi Nam
The document discusses the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). It summarizes that GATT was created in 1947 as an outcome of failed negotiations to establish the International Trade Organization. Its objective was to reduce barriers to international trade through lowering tariffs, quotas, and subsidies. GATT provided a forum for negotiations between member states to encourage free trade. It was transformed into the World Trade Organization in 1995.
India launched a safeguard investigation on imports of saturated fatty alcohols from other countries. The investigation was initiated because imports have increased significantly and caused serious injury to domestic producers by reducing their market share, sales, and profitability. Separately, the US filed a dispute against India's domestic content requirements for solar cells and solar modules, arguing it is inconsistent with WTO obligations. The document also discusses India's efforts to protect the geographical indication for Darjeeling tea from unauthorized use in other countries.
As the focal point in the United Nations system for investment
and technology, and building on 30 years of experience in these
areas, UNCTAD, through the Division on Investment and Enterprise
(DIAE), promotes understanding of key issues, particularly matters
related to foreign direct investment (FDI). DIAE assists developing
countries in attracting and benefiting from FDI by building their
productive capacities, enhancing their international competitiveness
and raising awareness about the relationship between investment
and sustainable development. The emphasis is on an integrated
policy approach to investment and enterprise development.
The term “country” as used in this study also refers, as
appropriate, to territories or areas. The designations employed and
the presentation of the material do not imply the expression of any
opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United
Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or
area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its
frontiers or boundaries. In addition, the designations of country
groups are intended solely for statistical or analytical convenience
and do not necessarily express a judgment about the stage of
development reached by a particular country or area in the
development process.
The Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health was adopted by the WTO Ministerial Conference of 2001 in Doha on November 14, 2001. It reaffirmed flexibility of TRIPS member states in circumventing patent rights for better access to essential medicines
The document summarizes the history of globalization and international trade agreements from the late 19th century to the establishment of the World Trade Organization in 1995. It describes how globalization declined after WWI as countries erected trade barriers but then rebounded with the creation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1948. GATT held a series of negotiation rounds to reduce tariffs and expand trade. However, GATT was imperfect so the Uruguay Round of 1986 established the WTO to provide stronger oversight of international trade.
The document discusses the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and international agreements in the pharmaceutical sector. It provides background on GATT and its evolution into the WTO. Key functions of the WTO include administering trade agreements, handling disputes, and cooperation. The WTO's Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMS) agreements are also summarized.
The document discusses several international treaties and conventions related to intellectual property rights (IPR), including:
1. The Paris Convention, one of the oldest intellectual property treaties administered by WIPO with 169 member countries. It establishes national treatment and priority rights.
2. The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) administered by WIPO with 128 members, which provides a simplified method for filing patent applications across multiple countries.
3. The World Trade Organization (WTO) which ensures trade flows smoothly between its 153 member countries and resolves trade disputes. Key agreements under the WTO related to IPR include the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the Agreement on Trade
General agreement on tariffs and trade (GATT)Nambi Nam
The document discusses the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). It summarizes that GATT was created in 1947 as an outcome of failed negotiations to establish the International Trade Organization. Its objective was to reduce barriers to international trade through lowering tariffs, quotas, and subsidies. GATT provided a forum for negotiations between member states to encourage free trade. It was transformed into the World Trade Organization in 1995.
India launched a safeguard investigation on imports of saturated fatty alcohols from other countries. The investigation was initiated because imports have increased significantly and caused serious injury to domestic producers by reducing their market share, sales, and profitability. Separately, the US filed a dispute against India's domestic content requirements for solar cells and solar modules, arguing it is inconsistent with WTO obligations. The document also discusses India's efforts to protect the geographical indication for Darjeeling tea from unauthorized use in other countries.
This document provides an overview and comparison of GATT and the WTO. It discusses that GATT was formed in 1949 to reduce tariffs and encourage global trade but was replaced by the WTO in 1995. The objectives of both organizations were to increase global production and standards of living through international cooperation and trade. The WTO now has 146 member countries and aims to make trade rules transparent and beneficial to developing countries while promoting sustainable development and a rules-based global trading system. India has been a founding member of both GATT and the WTO.
The document provides information on the structure and functions of the World Trade Organization (WTO). It discusses that the WTO was established in 1995 to replace the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and provide formal organization to regulate international trade. The key goals of the WTO are to improve standards of living, ensure full employment, increase production and trade, and ensure optimal use of global resources in a sustainable manner. It oversees agreements on goods, services, intellectual property, and dispute settlement between member countries.
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was a multilateral agreement regulating international trade signed in 1947. It aimed to reduce trade barriers through a series of rounds of negotiations. There were 9 rounds, the last being the Uruguay Round from 1986-1994 which established the World Trade Organization in 1995 to replace GATT. The rounds achieved major reductions in tariffs and other trade barriers.
GATT (General Agreement on Tariff and Trade)Akshay Dhamija
GATT (General Agreement on Tariff and Trade)
Precursor organization to GATT, ITO, was first proposed in
February 1945 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNESCO).
On 1 January 1948, the agreement was signed by 23 countries for the formation of GATT.
Total of 8 rounds was there, all are listed along with their respective year, venue and issues are mentioned in the sides.
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was negotiated in 1947 and was designed to reduce trade barriers and encourage free trade. It provided an international forum for negotiating tariff reductions and resolving trade disputes. While GATT was successful in significantly reducing tariffs over time, growing non-tariff barriers and subsidies in response to economic difficulties undermined its effectiveness. This led to negotiations in the 1980s and 1990s that transformed GATT into the World Trade Organization in 1995 to strengthen and expand the global trading system to address new challenges.
The document provides an overview of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and its replacement by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995. It discusses that GATT was created in 1947 to reduce tariffs and trade barriers, and was replaced by the WTO to establish stronger global trade rules and dispute resolution. The document also notes that India has been a founding member of both GATT and WTO, and that its participation in the increasingly rule-based international trade system has helped provide stability and predictability in global trade.
GATT & WTO : History and Prospective of Nepal.Regmi Milan
The document provides historical background on trade policies from the 1500s-1700s and the establishment of GATT at the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944. It discusses Nepal joining WTO in 2004 and both the benefits and challenges of its membership. The benefits include market access predictability and transit rights as a landlocked country. However, Nepal faces market access barriers like tariffs and non-tariff barriers. It also has supply-side constraints such as lack of infrastructure and human capital that limit its export competitiveness within the global trading system governed by WTO rules.
The document discusses the history and evolution of international trade agreements from GATT to the modern WTO. It outlines key events like the Bretton Woods conference that led to GATT, various trade negotiation rounds that reduced tariffs, the formation of the WTO in 1995, and principles of the rules-based global trading system like non-discrimination and transparency. It also summarizes roles of different WTO bodies and topics of ongoing negotiation like agriculture subsidies and special provisions for developing countries.
The document discusses international trade, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and India's involvement with the WTO. It provides background on international trade and why countries participate. It then discusses the formation of the WTO due to issues with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the principles and functions of the WTO, and India's commitments and benefits of WTO membership.
The document provides an overview of the history and structure of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the agreements it oversees, including the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). It discusses how GATT established principles like most-favored nation status and national treatment to reduce trade barriers. It also describes the creation of the WTO in 1995 and key agreements on goods, services, intellectual property, agriculture, and dispute settlement. The document outlines the ongoing Doha Round negotiations and challenges in reaching agreements.
The document provides an overview of the World Trade Organization (WTO). It discusses that the WTO is an international organization that oversees and liberalizes global trade. The WTO aims to improve welfare by administering trade agreements, facilitating trade negotiations, and settling trade disputes. The document outlines the key WTO agreements and principles of non-discrimination, predictability, competitiveness, and benefits for developing countries. It also discusses the impact of WTO on India, including increased exports and foreign investment as well as developmental issues.
The WTO agreements establish rules for international trade and are the result of negotiations between member countries. The key agreements cover trade in goods, services, and intellectual property. They aim to ensure trade flows freely and predictably by reducing barriers and resolving disputes. The agreements establish principles like non-discrimination and transparency. They have expanded trade significantly since the original GATT and help resolve issues through agreed upon procedures and mechanisms.
The document provides an overview of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its relevance to India. It discusses that the WTO was formed in 1995 to replace the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The objectives of the WTO include promoting multilateral trade and reducing barriers to free trade. India is a founding member of the WTO and the organization's rules have impacted India's agriculture, services, and intellectual property sectors. The document also outlines some of the key WTO agreements such as GATT, GATS, TRIPS, and provisions related to market access, domestic support, and export subsidies in agriculture.
The document discusses the key principles of GATT, including non-discrimination, reciprocity, enforceable commitments, transparency, and safety valves. It also covers the various GATT trade rounds from 1947 to 1994 and their topics of negotiation. Additionally, it outlines the demands of developing countries for differential treatment under GATT to support their economies. The principles of GATT helped significantly reduce tariffs and spur global trade growth after World War 2, but new issues like non-tariff barriers and services trade prompted the creation of the WTO through the Uruguay Round negotiations.
The document provides information about the history and objectives of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its predecessor the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). It discusses how GATT was created in 1947 and helped establish rules for international trade. It then explains how the WTO was established in 1995 to replace GATT and now has 160 member countries. The key objectives of the WTO are to liberalize trade, provide a framework for trade agreements and disputes, and help resolve trade issues between countries.
The Doha Development Round was launched in 2001 to further lower trade barriers and make trade rules fairer for developing countries. Key issues included agriculture, patents on medicines, and special treatment for developing countries. India's interests included expanding market access, fostering growth and reducing poverty, while guarding against non-trade issues in the WTO. Potential benefits included increased textile and clothing exports, but India also faced disadvantages like pressures from intellectual property rules and loss of policy space. Unresolved issues that could undermine development included inequalities, lack of safety nets, and inadequate capacity and subsidies for farmers in developing countries.
The Doha Round was launched in 2001 in Doha, Qatar to further lower trade barriers beyond the Uruguay Round. Its key objectives were reducing barriers to agricultural and manufacturing trade as well as expanding trade in services and intellectual property regulations. However, negotiations faced many challenges around agriculture subsidies and access for developing countries, intellectual property and public health issues, and special treatment for developing nations. The round ultimately did not reach a consensus and collapsed in 2015 without a final agreement.
The General Agreement on Trade in ServicesSaravanan A
The document provides an overview of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). Some key points:
- GATS is the first multilateral agreement covering international trade in services. It was negotiated during the Uruguay Round from 1986-1993.
- GATS aims to promote trade liberalization in the services sector in a gradual, progressive manner while allowing exceptions. It covers four modes of supplying services: cross-border trade, consumption abroad, commercial presence, and movement of natural persons.
- The agreement includes general obligations that apply to all member countries, such as most-favored-nation treatment and transparency. It also allows countries to make specific commitments to open certain service sectors to foreign competition under market
Intellectual property rights give creators control over their inventions, artistic works, and brands through property rights. There are two main types of intellectual property - industrial property such as patents, trademarks, and designs, and copyright for literary and artistic works. Intellectual property provides economic incentives for innovation and distribution of new ideas and technologies. It also promotes creativity, economic growth, and international trade. The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) extends international trade rules to the services sector and covers 12 broad sectors that can be traded across borders, with a commercial presence, or through the movement of people.
The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) sets the framework for liberalizing international trade in services. It establishes rules for market access, national treatment, and domestic regulation for trade in services. The objective is to progressively reduce barriers to services trade through negotiations. Tourism services have been highly liberalized under GATS compared to other sectors. However, GATS commitments could influence domestic regulation and environmental policies.
This document provides an overview and comparison of GATT and the WTO. It discusses that GATT was formed in 1949 to reduce tariffs and encourage global trade but was replaced by the WTO in 1995. The objectives of both organizations were to increase global production and standards of living through international cooperation and trade. The WTO now has 146 member countries and aims to make trade rules transparent and beneficial to developing countries while promoting sustainable development and a rules-based global trading system. India has been a founding member of both GATT and the WTO.
The document provides information on the structure and functions of the World Trade Organization (WTO). It discusses that the WTO was established in 1995 to replace the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and provide formal organization to regulate international trade. The key goals of the WTO are to improve standards of living, ensure full employment, increase production and trade, and ensure optimal use of global resources in a sustainable manner. It oversees agreements on goods, services, intellectual property, and dispute settlement between member countries.
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was a multilateral agreement regulating international trade signed in 1947. It aimed to reduce trade barriers through a series of rounds of negotiations. There were 9 rounds, the last being the Uruguay Round from 1986-1994 which established the World Trade Organization in 1995 to replace GATT. The rounds achieved major reductions in tariffs and other trade barriers.
GATT (General Agreement on Tariff and Trade)Akshay Dhamija
GATT (General Agreement on Tariff and Trade)
Precursor organization to GATT, ITO, was first proposed in
February 1945 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNESCO).
On 1 January 1948, the agreement was signed by 23 countries for the formation of GATT.
Total of 8 rounds was there, all are listed along with their respective year, venue and issues are mentioned in the sides.
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was negotiated in 1947 and was designed to reduce trade barriers and encourage free trade. It provided an international forum for negotiating tariff reductions and resolving trade disputes. While GATT was successful in significantly reducing tariffs over time, growing non-tariff barriers and subsidies in response to economic difficulties undermined its effectiveness. This led to negotiations in the 1980s and 1990s that transformed GATT into the World Trade Organization in 1995 to strengthen and expand the global trading system to address new challenges.
The document provides an overview of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and its replacement by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995. It discusses that GATT was created in 1947 to reduce tariffs and trade barriers, and was replaced by the WTO to establish stronger global trade rules and dispute resolution. The document also notes that India has been a founding member of both GATT and WTO, and that its participation in the increasingly rule-based international trade system has helped provide stability and predictability in global trade.
GATT & WTO : History and Prospective of Nepal.Regmi Milan
The document provides historical background on trade policies from the 1500s-1700s and the establishment of GATT at the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944. It discusses Nepal joining WTO in 2004 and both the benefits and challenges of its membership. The benefits include market access predictability and transit rights as a landlocked country. However, Nepal faces market access barriers like tariffs and non-tariff barriers. It also has supply-side constraints such as lack of infrastructure and human capital that limit its export competitiveness within the global trading system governed by WTO rules.
The document discusses the history and evolution of international trade agreements from GATT to the modern WTO. It outlines key events like the Bretton Woods conference that led to GATT, various trade negotiation rounds that reduced tariffs, the formation of the WTO in 1995, and principles of the rules-based global trading system like non-discrimination and transparency. It also summarizes roles of different WTO bodies and topics of ongoing negotiation like agriculture subsidies and special provisions for developing countries.
The document discusses international trade, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and India's involvement with the WTO. It provides background on international trade and why countries participate. It then discusses the formation of the WTO due to issues with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the principles and functions of the WTO, and India's commitments and benefits of WTO membership.
The document provides an overview of the history and structure of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the agreements it oversees, including the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). It discusses how GATT established principles like most-favored nation status and national treatment to reduce trade barriers. It also describes the creation of the WTO in 1995 and key agreements on goods, services, intellectual property, agriculture, and dispute settlement. The document outlines the ongoing Doha Round negotiations and challenges in reaching agreements.
The document provides an overview of the World Trade Organization (WTO). It discusses that the WTO is an international organization that oversees and liberalizes global trade. The WTO aims to improve welfare by administering trade agreements, facilitating trade negotiations, and settling trade disputes. The document outlines the key WTO agreements and principles of non-discrimination, predictability, competitiveness, and benefits for developing countries. It also discusses the impact of WTO on India, including increased exports and foreign investment as well as developmental issues.
The WTO agreements establish rules for international trade and are the result of negotiations between member countries. The key agreements cover trade in goods, services, and intellectual property. They aim to ensure trade flows freely and predictably by reducing barriers and resolving disputes. The agreements establish principles like non-discrimination and transparency. They have expanded trade significantly since the original GATT and help resolve issues through agreed upon procedures and mechanisms.
The document provides an overview of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its relevance to India. It discusses that the WTO was formed in 1995 to replace the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The objectives of the WTO include promoting multilateral trade and reducing barriers to free trade. India is a founding member of the WTO and the organization's rules have impacted India's agriculture, services, and intellectual property sectors. The document also outlines some of the key WTO agreements such as GATT, GATS, TRIPS, and provisions related to market access, domestic support, and export subsidies in agriculture.
The document discusses the key principles of GATT, including non-discrimination, reciprocity, enforceable commitments, transparency, and safety valves. It also covers the various GATT trade rounds from 1947 to 1994 and their topics of negotiation. Additionally, it outlines the demands of developing countries for differential treatment under GATT to support their economies. The principles of GATT helped significantly reduce tariffs and spur global trade growth after World War 2, but new issues like non-tariff barriers and services trade prompted the creation of the WTO through the Uruguay Round negotiations.
The document provides information about the history and objectives of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its predecessor the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). It discusses how GATT was created in 1947 and helped establish rules for international trade. It then explains how the WTO was established in 1995 to replace GATT and now has 160 member countries. The key objectives of the WTO are to liberalize trade, provide a framework for trade agreements and disputes, and help resolve trade issues between countries.
The Doha Development Round was launched in 2001 to further lower trade barriers and make trade rules fairer for developing countries. Key issues included agriculture, patents on medicines, and special treatment for developing countries. India's interests included expanding market access, fostering growth and reducing poverty, while guarding against non-trade issues in the WTO. Potential benefits included increased textile and clothing exports, but India also faced disadvantages like pressures from intellectual property rules and loss of policy space. Unresolved issues that could undermine development included inequalities, lack of safety nets, and inadequate capacity and subsidies for farmers in developing countries.
The Doha Round was launched in 2001 in Doha, Qatar to further lower trade barriers beyond the Uruguay Round. Its key objectives were reducing barriers to agricultural and manufacturing trade as well as expanding trade in services and intellectual property regulations. However, negotiations faced many challenges around agriculture subsidies and access for developing countries, intellectual property and public health issues, and special treatment for developing nations. The round ultimately did not reach a consensus and collapsed in 2015 without a final agreement.
The General Agreement on Trade in ServicesSaravanan A
The document provides an overview of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). Some key points:
- GATS is the first multilateral agreement covering international trade in services. It was negotiated during the Uruguay Round from 1986-1993.
- GATS aims to promote trade liberalization in the services sector in a gradual, progressive manner while allowing exceptions. It covers four modes of supplying services: cross-border trade, consumption abroad, commercial presence, and movement of natural persons.
- The agreement includes general obligations that apply to all member countries, such as most-favored-nation treatment and transparency. It also allows countries to make specific commitments to open certain service sectors to foreign competition under market
Intellectual property rights give creators control over their inventions, artistic works, and brands through property rights. There are two main types of intellectual property - industrial property such as patents, trademarks, and designs, and copyright for literary and artistic works. Intellectual property provides economic incentives for innovation and distribution of new ideas and technologies. It also promotes creativity, economic growth, and international trade. The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) extends international trade rules to the services sector and covers 12 broad sectors that can be traded across borders, with a commercial presence, or through the movement of people.
The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) sets the framework for liberalizing international trade in services. It establishes rules for market access, national treatment, and domestic regulation for trade in services. The objective is to progressively reduce barriers to services trade through negotiations. Tourism services have been highly liberalized under GATS compared to other sectors. However, GATS commitments could influence domestic regulation and environmental policies.
The document provides an overview of the history and current state of education in India. It discusses:
1) The traditional education system involving oral teachings and comprehension.
2) Today's system with stages from pre-primary to postgraduate education overseen by governing bodies.
3) Key challenges around increasing private education, reducing child labor, and improving infrastructure and teachers.
4) The demand for more universities and skilled workers outpacing supply despite growth in programs like SSA.
Students from Bhavan's Rajaji Vidyashram in Chennai organized a cricket tournament to raise funds to provide blackboards for the classrooms of a local underprivileged school. They were able to form six teams and over four days of play, despite facing rain delays, they completed the tournament and raised Rs. 10,000, exceeding their goal of Rs. 8,000 needed for the blackboard repairs and installations. The students visited the school, saw the need for basic classroom infrastructure like blackboards, and took action to address this issue in a way that involved and educated their peers.
Operation Blackboard was a scheme launched by the Central Government of India in 1988 to achieve the goal of universal primary education. The key objectives of the scheme were to convert all single teacher primary schools into two-teacher schools and to provide necessary school infrastructure and teaching materials. From 1988 to 1995, Rs. 137.74 crore was spent under the scheme, with 49% spent on teacher appointments, 37.5% on classroom construction, and 13.5% on teaching materials. Evaluations found that the scheme helped increase student enrollment and reduce dropout rates by improving school resources and infrastructure.
The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) was one of the landmark agreements signed as part of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995. GATS aims to liberalize international trade in services by promoting non-discrimination and transparency among its over 140 member countries. It covers 10 broad sectors and defines four modes of supply for trade in services - cross-border supply, consumption abroad, commercial presence, and movement of natural persons. Key principles of GATS include Most Favored Nation treatment, transparency, national treatment, and market access commitments made by members in specific sectors.
The document discusses the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), which extended the multilateral trading system to the service sector. It covers the history of GATS, its main principles and scope, related sectors and sub-sectors, modes of trade, provisions regarding public services and domestic regulation, and implications for the health care system. The goal of GATS is progressive liberalization of trade in services through negotiation rounds to expand commitments over time.
Indian Higher Education - "Why and how of participating in the sector for a f...Cerule Consulting
This document discusses the KPMG-Edge forum report on Indian higher education. It notes that while the proposed Foreign Education Providers Bill would allow foreign universities to enter India, the existing infrastructure and regulatory environment for higher education in India presents challenges. These include a complex regulatory structure, lack of faculty, low employability of graduates, and uncertainty around how foreign universities would be classified and taxed. However, there are also examples of successful collaborations between foreign and Indian universities that could provide a model for partnerships. The report examines both the opportunities and challenges for foreign players seeking to participate in India's higher education sector.
The document discusses how globalization and trade agreements like GATS have transformed higher education into a transnational system with new providers, programs, and delivery modes across borders. This has led to concerns about lack of quality control and the provision of substandard education, as well as the commercialization of higher education with a focus on profits over quality. Stricter oversight is needed from stakeholders to ensure quality assurance and consumer protections are in place for cross-border higher education.
The document discusses how globalization and trade agreements like GATS have transformed higher education into a transnational system with new providers, programs, and delivery modes. This has led to concerns about lack of quality control and the provision of substandard education. Additionally, some operators have entered higher education as profit-seekers, contradicting principles of quality assurance, and developing countries may end up as losers in this globalized system without proper safeguards.
The document discusses the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and its impact on India's education sector. Some key points:
1. GATS extended trade rules to services like education and aims to ensure trade flows freely across borders.
2. India cannot exempt education since it is not entirely public. GATS covers four modes of supplying education services internationally.
3. GATS presents opportunities to improve education quality in India but also risks like increased fees reducing access for the poor. Government support is needed to maximize benefits and minimize risks.
The document discusses the economic and political impact of internationalizing higher education globally and in India. It notes that international student mobility fuels home and host country economies, and strengthens cultural and diplomatic ties. While India recognizes benefits, it has not implemented a clear strategy for internationalization. Compared to China, India attracts far fewer international students and has lower outward student mobility. For internationalization to succeed, India must improve strategies for student mobility, quality assurance, and university research.
This document discusses the potential impacts of WTO regulations on the privatization of higher education in India. It begins with background on the current state of higher education in India and then analyzes how WTO rules could open the sector to foreign universities. A SWOT analysis is presented on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats faced by Indian universities from increasing globalization and competition. The analysis finds that while foreign involvement may bring revenue from foreign students and innovation, it also risks making education unaffordable and could undermine the culture and non-profit mission of Indian higher education.
The document discusses the education sector in India. It begins by defining education and describing the various stages and methods of education. It then discusses the education sector specifically in India, noting that India has one of the largest networks of higher education institutions in the world. It provides statistics on the number of colleges, universities, and students enrolled in higher education in India. The document also discusses government initiatives to improve the education system and notes that the education services sector in India is poised for major growth in the coming years.
This document is a summer training report submitted by Pooja Devi to Dr. Supreet Sandhu at Eduris International in partial fulfillment of an MBA degree. The report analyzes India's higher education system and includes sections on declaration, acknowledgment, executive summary, introduction, company profile, literature review, methodology, objectives, data analysis, findings, recommendations, and conclusion. It provides an overview of India's education system, including primary, secondary, and higher education. It also discusses the role of education in national development and the changing nature of education as an industry.
India education us$45bn private education - opportunity everyone wants a sliceAtif Farhan
The document summarizes the large and fast-growing private education sector in India. It notes that annual education spending in India is over $600 billion, larger than in the US. It is estimated that private education revenue will grow 19% annually to $45 billion by 2015. This growth is driven by rising household spending on education as incomes increase. While public policy aims to support existing schools, it also aims to steer private players away from K-12 education. Emerging opportunities for private players include vocational training. The document initiates coverage on several listed education companies.
FICCI- EY Report on Higher Education in India: Vision 2030 states that by 2030 Indian higher education system will emerge as a role model for high quality affordable educational system in the word. Higher education in India would not only address the socio-economic challenges by 2030, but will also be a leader in quality and excellence.
Quick summary at http://bit.ly/1cgI9v9
This document discusses the role of education in entrepreneurship development in India. It notes that formal education is positively correlated with entrepreneurship, and education and training can enhance entrepreneurship by expanding the pool of entrepreneurs. However, current entrepreneurship education in India focuses only on related courses, which are similar to general business courses that have little influence on entrepreneurial skills. The document aims to explain the evolution of entrepreneurship education in India, discuss its importance for the economy, and examine challenges and ways to improve entrepreneurship education programs.
India has seen significant economic growth since gaining independence in 1947, transforming from a primarily agricultural economy to one with heavy industry, transportation, and telecommunications. However, India still faces issues with infrastructure, as nearly 25% of Indians lack access to electricity and road connectivity in rural areas remains limited. The government has implemented various five-year plans to boost economic development and infrastructure spending. While trade deficits have fluctuated, India has maintained strong economic ties with partners like the US, UK, and Germany through imports and exports.
Uday Salunkhe - strategies for being a global mba playerudaysalunkhe
This article gives an in depth analysis on the strategies for becoming a global MBA player. It has been co- authored by Dr. Uday Salunkhe, Director of the prestigious Welingkar Institute of Management and Research.
Business Environment - Unit-3 - IMBA - Osmania UniversityBalasri Kamarapu
Business Environment - Unit-3 - IMBA - Osmania University
Unit-III: Economic Policies of India
Industrial Environment and Policy
Role of SSUs, and MNCs
Policy of Public Sector and its role in the economy
Competition Law
Policies on Foreign Investment and Trade (EXIM).
The document discusses foreign direct investment in India's education sector. It notes that FDI in education was almost nil until 2005 but has since started to increase, reaching Rs. 2,051 crores by 2011. Indian policy restricts for-profit universities but allows corporate trusts to operate educational institutions. Major international universities have expressed interest in collaborating with Indian institutions or establishing campuses in India. The education sector is predicted to grow substantially in the coming years, requiring significant investment.
11.higher education in india structure, statistics and challengesAlexander Decker
This document summarizes the structure, statistics, and challenges of higher education in India. It notes that India has the largest higher education system in the world with over 500 universities and 26,000 colleges. However, there is a large gap between the demand and supply of higher education, with only 12.4% of students currently accessing it. To increase this rate to 30% by 2020, India would need 800 new universities and 40,000 new colleges. Other key challenges include maintaining education quality as quantity increases, strengthening research and development, and addressing faculty shortages. The government is taking initiatives such as establishing new universities and colleges, increasing seats, and reforming regulations to help overcome these challenges.
Higher education in india structure, statistics and challengesAlexander Decker
This document summarizes the structure, statistics, and challenges of higher education in India. It notes that India has the largest higher education system in the world with over 500 universities and 25,000 colleges. However, enrollment rates are only around 12% currently, and increasing to 30% by 2020 would require 800 new universities and 40,000 new colleges. The main challenges are meeting the large demand-supply gap in higher education and increasing spending on education to the recommended levels.
11.fracas over privatisation quality assurance and corruption in indian highe...Alexander Decker
This document summarizes the state of higher education in India. It discusses issues with privatization of education leading to profit-motive and lack of infrastructure/quality. It also notes disparities in access to education between rural/urban, gender, religion, and socioeconomic groups. While India has many universities, overall quality is low with few ranked globally. The document calls for reforms to improve access, equity and quality through regulation and accountability.
India has achieved significant economic development over the past 60 years, growing from a poor country under British rule to a nuclear power and emerging global leader with a strong, democratic system and rapidly developing economy, as evidenced by statistics showing growth in key areas and India's increasing influence on the world stage through international agreements and relationships. India has matured politically and now makes pragmatic, national interest-based decisions, as seen in improved relations with China and Pakistan. Successful democracy and economic reforms have contributed greatly to India's development.
India's Demographic Dividend - How to ExploitSagar Chavan
This document discusses India's demographic dividend and the need to develop skills to take advantage of it. It notes that while India has shifted directly to a services sector economy without strong industrial development, re-industrialization is needed to create jobs and drive economic growth. The document outlines challenges with outdated worker skills and proposes public-private partnerships in vocational education and training to develop skills relevant to the economy. India has a young population that can boost its workforce if given proper skills through improved vocational education programs involving government and private sector collaboration.
1. GATS and Educational Services:
Issues for India’s Response in WTO Negotiations
Satish Y. Deodhar*
October 2001
* Author is Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, 380 015, India.
2. GATS and Educational Services:
Issues for India’s Response in WTO Negotiations
Abstract
Under the auspices of WTO, negotiations on liberalization of trade in services are
expected to begin soon. One agenda at the negotiating table will be trade in
educational services. Trade in educational services is too important an issue for India,
and, a thorough homework needs to be done before we make any commitments at the
negotiating table. In this context, the paper analyses the intricacies of the General
Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) as applicable to educational sector. The
need for trade, and the likely competitiveness of India’s educational services is also
discussed. Finally, suggestions for trade negotiations and domestic reforms are
presented.
3. 2
1. Background
General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS, 1995) was one of the
agreements that were signed under the purview of the World Trade Organization
(WTO) which came into existence in 1995. The central idea of GATS is that
progressive liberalization of trade in commercial services will promote economic
growth in the WTO member countries. These commercial services are of wide
variety ranging from entertainment, e-commerce, and education. Under the
framework developed through GATS, member countries are expected to put forward
their specific proposals, engage in negotiations, and make their own commitments for
the progressive liberalization of trade in such services. In fact, the forthcoming WTO
Ministerial meeting to be held in Doha, may take-up issues pertaining to specific sub-
sectors of the service industry. One particular sub-sector that will find place on the
agenda is the trade in educational services. In this context, there are important trade
related issues in educational services that India needs to address. This article is an
attempt to raise the pertinent issues and suggest policy options.
In Section 2, I examine the precedence, possibility, and need for trade in
educational services. Section 3 elaborates on the two-way classification of trade in
educational services – namely, the educational categories and the modes of trade.
Section 4 attempts to make a qualitative assessment of the competitiveness of Indian
educational system within the two-way classification of trade in education. In Section
5, I discuss various safeguards available to India to counter any strong adverse impact
that might be felt by opening-up trade in educational services. Finally, in Section 6, I
discuss options for negotiating commitments at the WTO meetings, and bringing
reforms in the domestic educational services and institutions.
2. Why Trade in Educational Services?
Precedence for trade in educational services goes back in antiquity. In the
Golden Age of India, universities at Nalanda and Takshashila were famous the world
over, attracting students from foreign lands. In fact, universities (Vishwa Vidyalayas),
by definition, have to be international in character. Prior to independence, children of
the rich and students earning fellowships did go to United Kingdom for higher
education and returned with a wider worldview of things. After independence,
students went abroad on Commonwealth and Fullbright scholarships and returned
home to transplant their training and experience to the domestic conditions. And, the
latest phase began when (post) graduate students started going abroad for higher
studies with dollar assistantship in their pocket, never to return as if they had entered
Alibaba’s Cave! Of late, there are many Indian students going abroad for
undergraduate education as well. Moreover, there are many Indian high schools run
in various parts of the world where there is significant presence of overseas Indians.
Is there a potential for growth in trade in educational services, especially when
significant contribution to this sector comes from government? Is trade in educational
services compatible with WTO norms? As per Article I.3 of GATS, government
services remain outside the purview of GATS, provided they are not meant for
commercial purpose and do not have any competition from private service suppliers.
Hence, as per this article, education does come under the purview of GATS trade
4. 3
liberalization, since there are already many institutes, colleges, high schools, and
coaching classes operating in private sector in India. These private service providers
are in direct competition with the government-run institutions. Moreover, one must
not forget that the leading public educational institutions like the IITs, IIMs and
agricultural universities were funded primarily by foreign funds. The shrinking
budgetary resources for education are in no way helping the cause of promoting
knowledge in India. The per capita total government expenditure on education for
1995 was less than $10 per year in India as against $1400 in United States (UNESCO,
1998). Moreover, share of higher education in total planned resources has decreased
continuously from 1.24 % in the fourth Five-Year plan to 0.35% in the eighth Five-
Year plan (Joshi, 1998). As a result, the state of affairs in the government educational
institutions is pathetic. Hence, private sector participation and trade in educational
services seems imperative.
The paucity of funds points out the fact that capital is a scarce factor and
human resource an abundant factor in India. According to the celebrated Heckscher-
Ohlin (1933) theory of trade, products/services that use abundant factor more
intensively get exported and abundant factor gains from such trade. With abundant
qualified human resource, India must export educational products that use our human
resources intensively. To achieve this, as we discuss little later, India needs to create
favourable circumstances domestically and negotiate effectively at the WTO forum.
An argument is always made that India is experiencing brain-drain. I.e. although the
ownership of the knowledge inputs (read human resource) is Indian, ownership of the
generated knowledge is with the west (Khadria, 1999). This is a one-way argument.
Hasn’t India benefited from the knowledge generated elsewhere? Alarm-clock that
wakes one up in the morning to the zero-watt electricity bulb one uses at night, and,
everything one uses during the day was mostly developed elsewhere and not by
Indians. The Indian concept of zero, scientific principles of Newton, and economic
ideas of Keynes and Friedman are available to all. Moreover, those who go abroad to
provide educational services on contractual basis contribute to India’s Gross National
Product. Similarly, foreign educational institutions operating in India will contribute
significantly to India’s Gross Domestic Product, and, even more so if Indian
government stipulates a minimum requirement on hiring of Indian faulty and staff.
In the second half of the twentieth century, economists like Solow (1957) and
Schumpeter (1967) emphasized capital and managerial entrepreneurship respectively,
as the critical factors for growth and development of economies. Romar (1986) and
Lucas (1988) questioned the narrow definition of capital and broadened it to include
human capital as well. In the last decade, awareness of knowledge as an engine of
growth has gained ground and education is now looked upon as a tradable service.
Developed countries are also keen to use this opportunity to avoid under utilization of
infrastructure that exists in their educational institutions. The efforts of WTO to
include education in the GATS agreement should be seen in the above-discussed
context. Therefore, India has to pay a serious attention to the GATS agreement as
applicable to educational services, identify opportunities and competitiveness in
various sub-sectors, and negotiate WTO commitments accordingly. I turn to details
of these issues below.
5. 4
3. Educational Categories and Modes of Trade
There is a two-way classification of trade in educational services. First,
educational services are classified in various categories such as: 1. Primary Education,
2. Secondary Education, 3. Higher Education, 4. Adult Education, and, 5. Other
Education. It must be understood that GATS does not make it mandatory for member
countries to open-up all the educational categories. In fact, one can reject opening-up
of all the categories. Based on a country’s assessment about prospective gains,
specific categories can be opened up. For example, countries that are substantially
dependent on trade have already opened-up all categories. These include some of the
East-European countries and New Zealand. Larger economies such as United States
(US) have so far committed to opening-up of Adult Education and Other Education
categories, and, there are many other countries including India which have not made
any commitments yet.
The second classification is based on the nature of trade in (educational)
services. Article I.2 of GATS classifies trade into the following four modes - Cross
Border Supply: It includes courses through distance education, online courses
through Internet, educational testing services, and educational materials that are
provided overseas. It will also include sale of paperback editions of books and sale of
educational CDs. Consumption abroad: This refers to import of educational services
through movement of the consumers/students to other country for pursuing education.
A clear example is that of Indian students studying abroad and spending on
educational fees and all related expenses of their stay. Commercial Presence: It
means actual presence of an educational service provider of a country in another
country. For example, a foreign university may start a school of journalism in India,
giving a foreign degree to the students. Movement of Natural Persons: As the title
suggests, it involves people moving between countries to provide educational
services. Indian teachers going abroad to teach in high schools in US is one such
example.
Thus, under any of the 20 category-cum-modes of trade in education, India
will have to make specific commitments for opening-up, propose changes, and list
specific educational services for negotiations. And, while doing this, India must
ensure that the safeguard instruments available in the GATS document are credible
and enforceable.
4. Competitiveness of Indian Educational Services
For the ensuing negotiations on trade in services, Indian authorities not only
need to respond to the proposals and commitments made by others, but put forward
India’s own proposal and select commitments that are in the best interest of our
country. A pre-requisite for that is to generate adequate data on the status of
educational service providers and users and its aspects related to trade. Based on that,
authorities will be fully able to comprehend India’s competitiveness in various sub-
sectors of educational services. However, based on the information available at this
time, critical observations on India’s competitiveness can certainly be made.
6. 5
Educational Testing Services: US hopes educational testing services to be
included in the country commitments. This is not surprising as US already has well
established educational testing service providers and they would like to utilize the
potential outside the country. India too has a long experience of providing
educational testing services. Quality of testing services is well demonstrated by
all–India qualifying tests such as the CAT (Common Admissions Test) of the IIMs,
JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) of IITs, and GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in
Engineering). If the experience of these services is adapted for various fields, and, if
such services can be offered on a year round basis with sufficient computerization and
use of internet facilities, India stands to gain from liberalization of such services.
However, markets for such services will have to be actively sought. Hence, India
may commit to liberalize these services, but an adjustment period of at least 6 years is
necessary for upgradation and marketing of these services to potential clients.
Moreover, willingness of stakeholders to conduct this activity in the private sector
needs to be assessed. Only then India can become competitive both in foreign and
domestic markets.
Students on Foreign Campuses: 31,743 Indian students had enrolled for
courses in US in the year 1995-96 (UNESCO, 1998). Currently, however, the number
must have already exceeded 40,000. Moreover, there are a few more thousand Indian
students studying in Europe. However, one may not worry too much about such
imports of services. A significant proportion of these students would be (post)
graduate students on teaching/research assistantships and fee waivers (see Teachers
and Researchers Working Abroad below). Moreover, value must be attached to
foreign educational experience which certainly widens the horizons of young minds.
As far as export of such service by India is concerned, i.e., foreign students
coming to India for study, the current prospects are not too bright. India already gets
some 5,455 international students from neighbouring developing countries (NIEPA,
2001). However, getting students from developed countries, even from East
European countries, would be very difficult as our standards of campus facilities are
very poor in general. However, there is a scope for developing high-value niche
market for some of the programmes that India may offer. Marketing of programmes
on education in Arts and Culture, Sanskrit and other languages and literature, and
traditional medicinal sciences like Ayurved could be effectively done by upgrading
the campus facilities for some of the specialized institutions in India. A glaring
example of this is the programme offered in Ayurved by the Department of Ayurved
at University of Pune. It has twinning agreements with universities in Italy, Germany
and many other countries to send their students here for part of the study. The Indian
Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, although does not have any foreign students
enrolled in its two-year programme, has a successful exchange programme for
students. More than 45 students go abroad for a term for which they do not have to
pay fees. One must also remember that fees in western countries are much expensive
than those in India. Promoting such exchange programmes on reciprocal fee-waiver
basis will certainly be useful to India both in terms of not losing foreign exchange,
and, providing Indian students an opportunity to broaden their worldview.
Establishing Schools Abroad: At present, many countries including US are
only looking inwards as far as secondary education is concerned. However, Indian
proposal should include scope for commercial presence of institutions in the
7. 6
secondary education. India’s CBSE system of secondary education is quite robust as
compared to the state-board systems. In fact, there are more than 100 (Indian) CBSE
schools abroad. With ever increasing Indian Diaspora spreading rapidly all over the
world, there would be a great demand for CBSE-like schools in UK, USA, Fiji, and
many other parts of the world. Of course, some initial groundwork will have to be
made by identifying and bringing together private providers and the prominent figures
from the non-resident Indian community. In the long-run, the school system could be
expanded away from the ethnic Indian focus that will be required in the short-run. On
the import side, India need not worry much as our system of secondary education is
both cost and quality competitive. As far as establishing institutions of higher
education abroad is concerned, India’s competitiveness is very much in doubt as she
needs to address the core issues of capital expenditure requirements. In fact, instead,
domestic higher education problems be addressed first to stay import-competitive.
However, one exception must be brought to our notice. Central Institute of English
and Foreign Languages (CIEFL), Hyderabad, has successfully launched English
Language Teaching (ELT) programme in Kirgizistan. The institute won the contract
in succession although there was strong competition from other countries (Kolhatkar,
1999). India must capitalize on such experiences and duplicate the efforts elsewhere.
As far as presence of foreign higher-education institutions in India is
concerned, India should allow it, however, the process of liberalization must be
gradual so that our domestic educational institutions are capable of effectively
competing with the foreign institutions. India will need a transition period of at least
6 years to upgrade our campus facilities. Upgrading facilities in all institutions will
be difficult, however, select import-competing institutions must be able to upgrade
their facilities. Among other things, these facilities will include: Availability of
course schedules on internet, telephone registration system for various courses, option
of payment of fee through credit cards, well equipped dormitories, classrooms,
libraries and sports facilities of international standards, and facilitating growth of off-
campus housing infrastructure in the private sector for faculty, staff, and students.
Moreover, accreditation system for foreign educational institutions will have to be
developed. Indian authorities may need to study how foreign/developed governments
manage the accreditation system in their own countries.
Teachers and Researchers Working Abroad: Although the annex to GATS
mentions that movement of natural persons is excluded from GATS, it clearly
provides scope for negotiating commitments on movement of persons in specific
services. India must put in its proposal to include commitments on movement of
teachers and researchers both at the secondary and higher education level. Already,
about 10,000 secondary school teachers are working outside the country for sometime
now, and, increasingly there is a growing demand for Indian teachers, especially in
mathematics, sciences, and English. The trend will continue given the scarcity of
teachers in developed world and the sufficient supply of qualified teachers in India.
Nevertheless, there is a need for making projections of export of this educational
service. The export of teachers need not be construed to imagine that Indian schools
will be deprived of their valuable asset. In fact, a healthy market for teachers will
encourage many more to join the profession domestically as well.
Moreover, it must be remembered that many of the Indian (post) graduate
students who go abroad for higher studies receive teaching and/or research
8. 7
assistantships and tuition waivers. This is a form of export of educational service in
the form of movement of natural persons. The fact that western countries need
foreign (post) graduate students to teach independent courses in their universities
shows the need for qualified university-level teachers abroad.
5. Availability of Safeguards
While India seeks to liberalize trade in educational services and offer specific
commitments in its proposals for negotiations, Indians must understand that they are
not trading-off their rights and controls on issues that are integral to their nationhood,
cultural ethos and security. There are many exemptions and safeguards allowed in
GATS which can be effectively utilized to protect Indian interests.
Article II.1 introduces the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) clause by mentioning
that a country will accord another member country treatment no less favourable than
that it accords to any other country. However, in the same breadth, Article II.2 allows
countries to negotiate exemption from this commitment and those exemptions must be
mentioned in the schedule of commitments made. For example, India can give
special treatment to students of SAARC and NAM countries without giving the same
special treatment to others, provided this is mentioned in the commitment schedules.
Article XII.1 allows countries to take measures to control the balance of
payments problems (BOP). This may include restrictions on transfer of payments and
foreign exchange until the BOP situation improves. India does not face BOP problem
at this time. However, if it does in the future, India can exercise the option of
restricting trade in educational services to prevent flight of foreign exchange from the
country. Moreover, Article XIV allows measures to protect public morals, maintain
public order and national security, and prevent fraudulent practices. For example, if
Indian authorities believe that some of the educational material coming into the
country is not according to the mores and values of this land, restrictions may be
imposed to protect public morals. In fact, Article X even provided for emergency
safeguard measures as well.
6. Indian Proposal/Commitments and Domestic Reforms
In the light of the above discussion, India must act in self-interest. She must
send proposal and commit to areas where there are opportunities to be exploited
through trade. It also entails radical reforms in the domestic educational
infrastructure. In this context I suggest the following:
Suggestions for Proposal:
1. India should endorse the US view of including educational testing services
to be included in the country commitments. However, India should ask for phased
liberalization. A lead-time of at least 6 years is necessary to upgrade our reputed
testing services to compete effectively with foreign suppliers in the domestic market,
and gather market intelligence to focus on adaptation of our services for the export
market.
9. 8
2. India may commit to all modes of trade in higher education as well.
However, it must be borne in mind that India will have to actively seek niche markets
for India-specific knowledge programmes. Moreover, infrastructure upgradation of
our premier and import competing institutions must be done on a priority basis so that
they can effectively compete with foreign institutions based in India. Again, for this
purpose, India must propose for gradual liberalization. A transition period of at least
6 years is needed to bring our priority institutions on par with the foreign ones in
terms of infrastructure and facilities.
3. India may make a specific proposal to other countries to commit
themselves for commercial presence in secondary education. This is in view of the
prospect that accredited private high schools of CBSE standard stand a good chance
to be exported the world over. More than 100 already exist in other countries.
Similar US schools exit in India and elsewhere that are primarily meant for the non-
resident US citizens.
4. India may propose for a specific commitment on inclusion of teachers and
researcher both at the secondary and higher education level under the trade mode –
‘movement of natural persons.’ With increasing demand for teachers in the
developed countries India may want to ensure opportunities for our human capital. In
this context, we have the potential to replicate the experience of CIEFL, Hyderabad,
in other educational fields. The commitments will also apply to (post) graduate
students who go abroad and earn teaching/research assistantships and tuition waivers.
In this respect, India may seek equal pay for these persons, no deduction of social
security tax, and no mandatory deduction for teachers/individual retirement accounts.
Even if social security tax is deducted, it should be recoverable when a person returns
to his/her home country. Moreover, there need not be penalty for withdrawing money
from the teachers retirement account when one returns to his/her home country.
5. Indian authorities must request for assistance from UNESCO and/or other
world bodies for improving educational infrastrucre in the country. This has been
done in other WTO agreements such as Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary
measures (SPS) and Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). Moreover,
such assistance must be provided in a structured, time-bound fashion. The motivation
for such request is that developing countries such as India will find it extremely
difficult to cope-up with abrupt issues that will arise if commitments were to be
adhered-to immediately after an agreement is reached.
6. To compete effectively with the developed nations, to upgrade our facilities
and infrastructural needs, developing countries must have a transition period of at
least 6 years, after which complete implementation of the agreement can be
undertaken.
Suggestions for Domestic Reform:
1. Authorities must develop a database on information on all categories of
education regarding number of educational institutions, their enrolments (domestic
and foreign), faculty strength, financial sources, and quality and accreditations.
10. 9
Further, market intelligence regarding situation in other countries be sought through
our diplomatic attaché in the Indian embassies abroad.
2. Existing reputed educational testing services will have to be modernized.
To compete with testing service such as say, GRE, GMAT, and TOEFL, our reputed
testing services such as CAT, GATE, JEE and others must be upgraded and
modernized. A committee be constituted to suggest upgradations and implementation
of the suggested upgradation. The upgradation will be in terms of year round
availability of the testing service, computer-aided and internet-based testing, and
universal acceptability of the tests by various academic institutions including foreign
institutions. Moreover, assessment will have to be done whether or not private
providers can take on the mantle of running such services for its efficient functioning.
3. Improvement in the educational infrastructure must take priority. The
following items need to be addressed if the infrastructure of import-competing
institutions has to be of international standard:
a. University course schedules must be available through internet.
b. Automated telephone course registration for every term must be available
to students.
c. Payment of fees by credit-card should become a standard option.
d. Classrooms, libraries, dormitories, sports facilities should be of
international standards.
e. Off-campus housing arrangements must be facilitated through private
sector for faculty, staff, and students.
4. Authorities must study the system of regulation and accreditation of
educational institutions in foreign countries. Our own accreditation system and laws
for foreign institutions must be developed taking into account the treatment given to
them in their respective countries.
11. 10
References:
GATS (1995). General Agreement on Trade in services, WTO Document, Annex 1-B,
http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/final_e.htm#services
Joshi M. M. (1998). "Higher Education in India: Vision and Action." UNESCO
World Conference on Higher Education in the Twenty-First Century, Country
Paper, October 5-9: Paris
Kolhatkar, M.R. (1999). “Pre-requisites for Internationalisation of Higher
Education.” Paper presented at the Policy Perspective Seminar on
Internationalisation of Higher Education, National Institute of Educational
Planning and Administration, New Delhi. November 26-27.
Khadria, B. (1999). "Offshore Universities, and the Paradox of Factor-endowment
and Factor-use in Trade in Services." Paper presented at Policy Perspective
Seminar on Internationalisation of Higher Education, National Institute of
Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi. November 26-27.
NIEPA (2001). "Trade in Education Service under WTO Regime- An Indian
Response." National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration,
New Delhi.
Ohlin (1933). Interregional and International Trade, Harvard University Press:
Casmbridge, MA.
UNESCO (1998). Statistical Yearbook, UNESCO Publishing & Bernan Press.