Updated on: Tuesday, August 25, 2015
The central government has decided to offer its education and legal services to foreigners and aims on liberalizing education, which is a move to be aimed at improving the country's services sector. Explaining the country's approach to open education sector, Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia suggested launching online courses to make it better accessible across communities and countries.
On opening legal services for foreigners, she said the Commerce Ministry's aim is to work with Bar Council of India (BCI) to move in a direction which is in tandem with the policies of both. The government also in consults with the Society for Indian Law Firms for this. The Department of Commerce which has been built with stakeholders aims at allowing multi-professional firms to invest in, and also increase size of the firms by allowing in. "So, these are the early stage reforms.
Once it is done, in the next step we will have consultation with the BCI," said Rita in a statement. Launching of these two sectors for the foreigners is under discussion of the Committee of Secretaries. The UK and the US have been giving pressure to India to open up the sector to foreigners legal service and firms.
The Advocates Act, which is under the BCI, provides for foreign lawyers or law firms to visit India on a basis of reciprocal for temporary duration to advise their clients on foreign law and diverse international legal issues.