India which opposed to protectionism and pushed for reforms in financial sector at the recently concluded G-20 summit at London is yet to open up its higher education sector to foreign universities.

Country's top educationists said that setting up of foreign universities in India required setting up of a regulatory body like Higher Education Committee (HEC).

"After 18 years of opening up of Indian economy and with liberalisation policies, the higher education sector in the country is slowly beginning to catch up," experts said at the meeting for Vice-chancellors and academicians held at Raj Bhavan here yesterday.

The recommendations for setting up foreign universities along with the proposal for Higher Education committee are likely to be submitted to the Human Resource Department by the end of this month, they said.

Members of the Yash Pal Committee including Prof Yash Pal were here for consultation meeting with the chancellor and Maharashtra governor S C Jamir, vice-chancellors of universities across the state to get their recommendations and incorporate them in the interim report.

"Foreign universities cannot be just imported to the country and if the universities want to set up in India, they should meet the aspirations of the land," said Pulin Naik, one of the members of Yash Pal committee