An Indian plan to establish a $500-million fund to attract university faculty members and researchers from around the world is dividing education experts, reports the Indian Express. Sam Pitroda, an adviser to India’s prime minister on infrastructure, innovation, and information issues, proposed the fund, saying that bringing in world-class professors and scientists would improve India’s higher-education institutions’ research capabilities and that foreign professors could mentor junior Indian faculty members. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of India’s Planning Commission, which will decide the fate of the plan, supports the idea. But other commission members, including academics, are against it. Focusing on providing globally competative salary packages is “not advisable” at a time when the government is debating broader higher-education reform plans, the critics said. They added that the fund could demoralize academics and researchers already working in India.