Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies,

Online ISSN 2278-8808, SJIF 2018 = 6.371, www.srjis.com

PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL, MAR-APR, 2019, VOL- 6/50

HIGHER EDUCATION ON THE VERGE OF THE 21ST CENTURY

Dipty Subba, Ph. D.

Asst Prof. and Head, Deptt of Education, Southfield College, Darjeeling, West Bengal
[email protected]

Abstract
The present paper is an effort, to identify and discuss a number of critical issues, of Higher Education
in India. Education is a process by which a person’s body, mind and character are formed and
strengthened and as a nation we can’t break away from the moral obligation of providing high quality
higher education to each and every young citizens of this country. India in last two decades has been
credited to the higher education system which has been able to produce skilled manpower for the
speedy industrialization and knowledge based economy and has become the hub of Information
Technology (IT) & IT enabled services industry and manufacturing industry. To keep pace with the
range of the demands of modern society the institutions of higher education have similarly been
forced to diversify. Higher education in India thus, has been finding it difficult to meet the challenges
of unplanned expansion, educated unemployment, uneven growth, commercialization of education,
financial crises, teacher burnout and the digital divide of quantity versus quality, equity versus
excellence, and creativity versus conformity which are posing continuous threats. However, there are
gaps between the situations also in developing and developed countries, within urban and rural
areas, between the wealthy and the poor, males and females, and among different ethnic groups.
Keywords: Higher Education, Society, Current scenario, Emerging Challenges

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1. Introduction: The Indian higher education

Education is one of the significant factors instrumental to the development of a
country. Education in India dates back to its early civilization time where teaching and
learning process revolved around the „Gurukal system‟. Modern concept of University mode
of education centers were established around 6 BC at Nalanda and Takshila . Today, India
with second largest population is home to the third largest higher education system in the
world by volume of students enrolled.
In the current day globalized world India and China are two countries which are
redefining the human race equation in-terms of population, political power, economy and
volume of consumption of natural resources. Education is the key factor in determining the
budding superpowers. Higher education in these two countries has centuries old history
which is demanding the changing times with respect to technology. India in last two decades
has been credited to the higher education system which has been able to produce skilled

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manpower for the speedy industrialization and knowledge based economy. India has become
the hub of Information Technology (IT) & IT enabled services industry and manufacturing
industry. The advancement which has been made in last two decades has not reached all
sections of the society. India, even after 69 years of its independence, is far away from the
goal of universal literacy. The system of Indian Higher education is the second largest in the
world which fulfills the educational requirements of millions of students who come from
different sections of the society since it is the student community that can help to generate
healthy academic atmosphere in institutions of higher learning.
The Education Commission 1964-66 described the role of education in social and
economic transformation through a statement-the density of a nation is shaped in its class
rooms. The mission of higher education is to achieve access, equality, justice, quality,
employability, inclusiveness and create a knowledge society/ economy. Methods of higher
education also have to be appropriate to the needs of four pillars of education, learning to
learn, learning to do, learning to be and learning to become. (Ganihar &Bhat 2006). Higher
education provides specialized knowledge and skilled persons for national development.
Higher education in India has been finding it difficult to meet the challenges of unplanned
expansion, educated unemployment, uneven growth, commercialization of education,
financial crises, teacher burnout and the digital divide of quantity versus quality, equity
versus excellence, and creativity versus conformity which are posing continuous threats to
higher education. The present paper is an effort, to identify and discuss a number of critical
issues, of Higher Education in India.
2. Higher Education and its roles that the society expects
Today a large percentage of the young generation is enrolled in higher education.
Higher education in India has practiced phenomenal expansion since independence. Higher
Education provides opportunities to the people to reflect on the critical social, cultural, moral,
economic and spiritual issues facing humanity.
Universities have become mass institutions in modern societies, at least in the greatly
developed countries, though this is not as much in the developing countries and lately
industrializing countries. Modern universities are mass institutions in a good sense. In the
highly developed countries in particular, a huge section of any age group is vigorously
engaged in higher education. Overall they symbolize a high percentage of the population
between the ages of 18 and 65, that is, the active working populations. To keep pace with the

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range of the demands of modern society the institutions of higher education have similarly
been forced to diversify.
The following are the five main functions which a society expects its institutions of higher
education to fulfil,:
 To providing education and training within a structure which combines research and
teaching.
 they provide professional training. Universities have been preparing students for
professions such as medicine, teaching and the law.
 they are responsible for carrying out research in a broad range of disciplines,
interdisciplinary work, and training a constant supply of qualified people for all fields
of employment.
 they have a part to play in regional development and also in developing international
contacts.
 they have a social function in fostering the intellectual and social development of
society.
3. Current scenario of higher education system in India
On 13th June, 2005 Government of India constituted a high level advisory body
known as National Knowledge Commission (NKC). It was headed by Sam Pitroda and
submitted its report in November 2007. It recommended setting up of 1500 universities by
2015 so that gross enrolment ratio increases to 15 percent. It has also called for establishing
an Independent Regulatory Authority for Higher Education (IRAHE) to monitor the quality
of overall higher education in India. The Ministry of Human Resources Development notes
that since 1950 until 2009, university and university level institutions in India have increased
approximately 18 times (from 27 in 1950 to 504 in 2009). Despite this increase, the required
capacity remains much higher. Conservative estimates showed that by 2006 India required
“at least 3,000 more universities each having the capacity to enrol not less than 10,000
students” to meet its demands (Bhargava, 2006). Nevertheless, the application of science and
technology and the production and use of “knowledge” of the excellence of information and
supervision have now become the keys to economic growth. At present, there is a strong
demand for the ability to create and apply this “knowledge” which is essential to economic
growth.

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At a global level, the privileged style prevalent earlier to mass higher education has
changed. The trends towards greater diversity among students and institutions and towards
lifelong education have progressed. However, there are gaps between the situations in
developing and developed countries, within urban and rural areas, between the wealthy and
the poor, males and females, and among different ethnic groups.
4. Problems in Indian Higher Education:
There are many basic problems faced by higher education system in India. It can be
found in the 'Report to the Nation 2006‟ of the National Knowledge Commission (NKC)
which concludes that, „there is a quiet crisis in higher education in India that runs deep , and
that it has to do with both the quantity and the quality of higher education in India‟. Many
factors have contributed to the degradation of higher education system since independence in
1947 which can be broadly grouped into the following factors but not limited.
Financing of higher education, Quality of human resources in higher education, Quality of
the research infrastructure, mismanagement of the system and lack of accountability, Society
and ethics, Lack of industry academia collaborations in research, Lack of importance for
natural and social sciences. There is, indeed, a multitude of interrelated problems that India
faces in its higher education system; it suffers from several systemic deficiencies, such as –
the unwieldy affiliating system, inflexible academic structure, uneven capacity across various
subjects, eroding autonomy of academic institutions, and the low level of public funding are
well known. However, India continues to face stern challenges.
5. Emerging Challenges
Today a large number of problems pertaining to poverty unemployment,
disappearance of moral and spiritual values have cropped up in India. The quality of
education in India whether at primary or higher education is significantly poor as compared
to major developing nations of the world. In the last few decades a countrywide
problems/challenges have emerged in Higher Education system in India and they are
discussed as under.
 Expansion: The first challenge to overcome is to increase the present rate of
enrolment of 20 per cent. We have only 722 universities, as against the National
Knowledge Commission recommendation of 1,500. Our aim and plan for the next 20
years should be to arrive at a proper estimate of universities and undergraduate

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institutions. Our heterogeneous education system, based on geographical, rural-urban,

rich-poor set up have posed in great challenge for the educational institutions.
 Disparities: Another challenge that confronts India is in the disparities in terms of
economic class, gender, caste and ethnic and religious belonging that stands before
access to education.
 Declining Quality: The quality society can be produced only through quality
education. We need more quality teaching institutions at the undergraduate level. The
influence of academicians on policies and the fascination with a defective notion of
excellence in terms of it being only about research have destabilized the focus of
having good teaching institutions. Nobody denies that research has more utility, but it
should not be forgotten that imparting knowledge is also equally important. The
higher education of India needs mechanisms to improve the quality of education
provided through universities and other degree awarding institutions. The mechanism
should pay attention on refining, diversifying, and upgrading higher education and
research programmes.
 Privatisation: Approximately 50 per cent of the higher education in India is
imparting education through private institutions, mainly unaided which involves high
cost. Today in India the ambition of middle class and poor students to endure higher
and technical education is becoming a dream due to the massive quantity of fees
charged by the money minded private colleges. In India, „Higher Education‟ should
be made affordable to all deserving students.
 Quality Textbooks: Now that teaching in most undergraduate and State universities
is in the regional languages, good textbooks and quality translations from the original
English books are a must if a student is to make progress. Teaching in the regional
languages would make one‟s understanding relatively easy while minimal language
competence in English should facilitate student access to English books. An example
that can be cited is in Japan where translations have enabled greater educational
access for the student.
 Education of relevance: Having an education that is relevant to the economy and
society is another challenge. The development of human resources for the economy
has been translated into action through vocational and professional education. But
similar efforts are lacking in social education. As the American educationist,
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Professor, James A. Banks, said: “the role of education in the 21st Century is to
prepare students to know, to care and to act in ways that will develop and foster
knowledge and skill needed to participate in effective action.”
6. Suggestive Measures to Improve the System of Higher Education:
The Ernst & Young LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership, registered under the
Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008 in India suggests the following strategies to
be adopted:
 Merit-based Student Financing: This should ensure admissions to meritorious
students independent of financial background
 Internationalisation of Education: This would entail aligning different aspects of
education (curriculum, faculty, etc) to international standards
 Enabling a Research Environment: This would involve creating adequate means
of research funding and practical application of research
 High Quality Faculty: The need of the hour is to create a conducive environment
and provide incentives to attract and retain high quality faculty
 Improved Technology for Education Delivery: Leveraging technology for
enhancing the teachinglearning experience will ensure better outcomes
 Employability: Making education-industry relevant and practical would be the
right way to ensure a highly employable talent pool.
a) Cross Culture Programmes- There should be a multidisciplinary approach in higher
education so that student‟s knowledge may not be restricted only upon his own
subjects. After education, tour to every places in India and world as far as possible
with the cooperation of government is necessary so that one can realize about people,
culture, arts, literature, religions, technological developments and advancement of
individual society in the world
b) Action Plan for Improving Quality- Higher educational institutes should improve
quality and reputation. Academic and administrative audit must be conducted once in
three years in colleges by external experts for ensuring quality in all aspects of
academic activities. T he self-finance colleges must approach forward for
accreditation and accomplish the requirements of accreditation. Hence, Universities
and colleges should recognize the need for quality education and come forward with
action plan for improving quality in higher educational institutions.
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c) Good Infrastructure: There should be a good infrastructure of colleges and

universities which may attract the students. There are large number of colleges which
are functioning all over the country that still suffer from poor physical facilities and
infrastructure.
d) World Class Education- Government must promote collaboration between Indian
higher education institutes and top International institutes and also generates linkage
between national research laboratories and research centers of top institutions for
better quality and collaborative research. India must aspire for the international
standard in education. Many national universities like in the USA, UK, Australia, etc.
allow studies in higher education for foreign students in their countries. In the same
way India can also offer courses of studies to foreign students taking advantage of the
globalization process. To achieve that goal it must adopt uniform international
syllabus in its educational institutions. There is a need to implement innovative and
transformational approach form primary to higher education level to make Indian
educational system globally more relevant and competitive.
e) Personality Development- Finally, education must be for the flowering of personality
but not for the suppression of creativity or natural skill. Universities and colleges in
both public private must be away from the political affiliations, favouritism, money
making process should be out of education system etc. That is the way the world can
be developed for peace, prosperity and progress by able and skilful men.
f) High-tech Libraries- Our university libraries have a very good collection of books,
but they are all in mess. A library must be online and conducive for serious study.
Indian universities should concentrate more on providing quality education which is
comparable to that of international standards.
7. Conclusion
A large number of added students continue to knock at the doors of our institutions
for higher education. Education is a process by which a person‟s body, mind and character
are formed and strengthened and as a nation we can‟t break away from the moral obligation
of providing high quality higher education to each and every young citizens of this country.
India is a land of huge human resource potential, to make the most of this potential properly
is the issue which needed to discuss. Knowledge is not only going to be the driver of Indian
economy, but also, it is going to pervade into all the strata of Indian society for a better
quality of life and living conditions. Thus, It is necessary to raise the quality of various
aspects, including teachers, students, facilities, equipment, educational materials and
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methods, and financing. India needs more efficient and educated people to drive our economy
forward. The actual need of the hour is the new policies and strategies by our policy makers
and leaders that will give a rise to larger number of high quality institutions. There is an
urgency to find the solution to these problems as we are now engaged in using higher
education as a powerful tool for creation of a knowledge-based information society that will
take India into a bright new future. India thus need to rise right away and reorient its higher
education system to be alive, competitive, significant and persistent; besides, there is
absolutely no substitute to quality of higher education. Despite challenges higher education
system of India equally have lot of opportunities to overcome these challenges and have the
capability to make its identity at international level.
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