Government approved a bill to allow foreign education providers to set up campuses in India and offer degrees. The Foreign Educational Institution (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill, was cleared on Monday by the Union Cabinet presided by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh . Our correspondent reports that the bill after rectification by Parliament will benefit a large number of Indian students who head abroad to study. <br/><br/>The Human Resource Development Minister has rightly put it that it is a milestone which will enhance choices, increase competition and benchmark quality. It provides for an eight month time bound format for granting an institute approval to set up a campus in India. Observers point out that this will go along with in addressing the deficit of qualified graduates as analysts project shortfall of over half a million graduates over the next five years. The reforms in higher education sector have been put on fast track in the UPA-2 with Mr. Kapil Sibal heading the HRD ministry. The Right to Education has already been notified and setting up of an Accreditation Council is on the anvil to further improve the quality of education at par with the international standards. The step assumes significance specially after signing of the Washington Accord which makes Indian degrees internationally valid.