Bills spark fears of 'police raj' on education

Three bills the Indian government has lined up to regulate higher education have been described as "draconian" by private institutions, which fear their enactment will bring the segment under a "police raj", writes GC Shekhar for The Telegraph.

Two of the bills provide for jail terms and stiff fines to ensure that colleges and universities obtain accreditation before (not after) starting courses and refrain from making exaggerated claims to attract students. For instance, under the 'unfair practices' bill, private institutions can be fined and their promoters sent to prison for publishing misleading brochures or charging capitation fees.

The third bill mandates that state-level and national tribunals, rather than the courts, should rule on disputes in the sector and imposes tough penalties on anyone flouting the tribunals' orders. Critics claim that under the unfair practices bill, promoters of institutions can be jailed for the smallest oversight.
Full report on The Telegraph India site