In India the focus on improving the quality of higher education has mostly been on increasing the number of Central institutes as Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) or premier medical institutions as AIIMS. Centre by limiting its role to few institutes leaving out state and private institutes that produce majority of the students has been one the prominent reason for the lagging quality of Indian higher education.
- State universities (private college) that produce 95 per cent of the nation’s graduates have little presence in bodies that frame policies and decisions regarding regulation or funding.
States role in higher education:
- Shared responsibility: Education being in the Concurrent list (Seventh Schedule), higher education is the shared responsibility of both the Centre and the States.
States handling of higher education:
- Seeking help from Centre: States instead of understanding the depth of the problem mostly seek setting up central institutes in a particular state.
- Poor image of state: There have been cases of nepotism in the management of State universities.
- Regional variations: Unlike South Indian states were focus was on higher education, similar progress isn’t seen in other parts of the country.
- Increasing private universities/colleges: Instead of increasing focus on quality of state universities the focus to promote the quality has shifted to setting up of private universities/colleges.
Redefining role of States in higher education:
- States need to take greater charge to improve the quality of these institutions.
- Tie up of higher education with economic planning and infrastructure: For instance engineering and managerial education, in particular, should have a direct connection and relevance to the State’s industrial, manufacturing and other productive activities.
- Participation of private sector and diaspora would not help in raising funds but also in achieving academic excellence.
Thus reducing the gap between the centre and state and increased focus on quality education not only the dream of India becoming the R&D hub of the world could be achieved but also leads to jobs led growth.
