Making a case for audit of spectrum, Mr Kapil Sibal, the Minister for HRD, Communications and Information Technology, said that currently there are no policies in place for audit of spectrum usage by private companies.

“The fact is there are no policies. We must have policies in place to ensure that there is spectrum sharing and spectrum trading,” Mr Sibal told reporters on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Mr Sibal also called upon the industry to collaborate, work together and share the spectrum for further growth of the sector.

“Why should we have a permanent access to spectrum when we are not going to use it…those (the companies) who are not using it, why can't we give it to other companies who are using it, and are setting up towers to use them? Why cannot we share spectrum? It's all about partnership. It is not about corporate wars but about collaboration,” he said.

Talking about the issue of governance, he said that a policy framework which allows governance was needed. It was important, he said, to ensure that the right to information becomes a part of the right to freedom of speech, for which universal access to broadband and information technology was imperative.

Raising enrolment ratios

Regarding education, the Minister said that the Government was planning to increase the targeted gross enrolment ratio for schools from 13 per cent to 30 per cent by 2020, to ensure more students are taken into the education system.

On the other hand, quality of higher education needs a sea change through a number of initiatives including bringing foreign universities and faculties to come to India, said Mr Sibal.

“We have brought in legislation on educational malpractices and we will ensure that every institution in this country is accredited mandatorily. While there is need to give autonomy to our universities, accountability should also be ensured,” he said.

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