Revamping Higher Education

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Revamping India’s Higher Education System

April 29th, 2010 Kaushiki Leave a comment Go to comments

The shortage of skilled man-power is a cause for concern in most

sectors in India. Experts acknowledge that the present higher

education system in India is not equipped to address this problem

without some changes in the basic structure. Official records show

that the gross enrollment ratio in higher education is only 11 per

cent while the National Knowledge Commission says only seven

per cent of the population between the age group of 18-24 enters

higher education. Even those who have access are not ensured of

quality. Despite having over 300 universities, not a single Indian

university is listed in the top 100 universities of the world.

Present Regulatory framework

The present system of higher education is governed by theUniversity Grants Commission (UGC), which is the apex body

responsible for coordination, determination and maintenance of

standards, and release of grants. Various professional councils

are responsible for recognition of courses, promotion of

professional institutions and providing grants to undergraduate

programmes. Some of the prominent councils include All IndiaCouncil for Technical Education (AICTE), Medical Council of India

(MCI) and the Bar Council of India (BCI). The Central Advisory

Board of Education coordinates between the centre and the states.

Universities in India can be established by an Act of Parliament or

state legislatures such as Delhi University, Calcutta University and

Himachal Pradesh University. Both government-aided and unaided



colleges are affiliated with a university. The central government

can also declare an institution to be a deemed university based on

recommendation of the University Grants Commission. There are

about 130 deemed universities and includes universities such as

Indian Institute of Foreign Trade and Birla Institute of Technology.

Such universities are allowed to set their own syllabus, admission

criteria and fees. Some prominent institutions are also classified

as institutions of national importance.

Reforms in Higher Education

There have been calls to revamp the regulatory structure, make

efforts to attract talented faculty, and increase spending on

education from about 4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to

about 6%. Presently, the allocation for higher education is at a

measly 0.7% of GDP.

From time to time government appointed various expert bodies to

suggest reforms in the education sector. The two most recent

recommendations were made by the National Knowledge

Commission (NKC) formed in 2005 under the chairmanship of Mr

Sam Pitroda and the Committee to Advise on Renovation andRejuvenation of Higher Education, formed in 2008 under the

chairmanship of Shri Yashpal.

Key Recommendations of NKC Key Recommendations of Yashpal

Committee



Presently, India has about 350 universities. Around 1,500

universities should be opened nationwide so that India is able to

attain a gross enrolment ratio of at least 15% by 2015.

Existing universities should be reformed through revision of

curricula at least once in three years, supplementing annual

examination with internal assessment, transition to a course credit

system, attract talented faculty by improving working conditions

and incentives.

A Central Board of Undergraduate Education should be

established, along with State Boards of Undergraduate Education,

which would set curricula and conduct examinations for

undergraduate colleges that choose to be affiliated with them.

An Independent Regulatory Authority for Higher Education (IRAHE)

should be formed. IRAHE should be independent of all

stakeholders and be established by an Act of Parliament.

The UGC would focus on disbursement of grants and maintainingpublic institutions of higher learning. The regulatory function of

the AICTE, MCI, and BCI would be performed by IRAHE.

The IRAHE shall have the power to set and monitor standards,

accord degree-granting power to institutions of higher education,

license accreditation agencies, and settle disputes. Same norms

shall apply to all institutions irrespective of whether they are publicor private, domestic or international.

Quality of education can be enhanced by stringent information

disclosure norms, evaluation of courses by teachers and students,

rethinking the issue of salary differentials within and between

universities to retain talented faculty, formulating policies for entry

of foreign institutions in India and the promotion of Indian

institutions abroad.



The academic functions of all the professional bodies (such as

UGC, AICTE, MCI, and BCI) should be subsumed under an apex

body for higher education called the National Commission for

Higher Education and Research (NCHER), formed through

Constitutional amendment.

The professional bodies should be divested of their academic

functions. They should only be looking after the fitness of the

people who wish to practice in their respective fields by conducting

regular qualifying examination.

Establish a National Education Tribunal with powers to adjudicate

on disputes among stake-holders within institutions and between

institutions so as to reduce litigation in courts involving

universities and higher education institutions.

Curricular reform should be the top-most priority of the NCHER. It

should be based on the principles of mobility within a full range of

curricular areas.Vocational education sector should be brought within the purview

of universities.

NCHER should promote research in the university system through

the creation of a National Research Foundation.

Practice of according status of deemed university be stopped till

the NCHER takes a considered view on it.NCHER should identify the best 1500 colleges across India and

upgrade them as universities.

A national testing scheme for admission to the universities on the

pattern of the GRE to be evolved which would be open to all the

aspirants of University education, to be held more than once a year.

Quantum of central financial support to state-funded universities

should be enhanced substantially on an incentive pattern.



Sources: The Report to the Nation, 2006-09, NKC; Yashpal

Committee Report, 2009; PRS

The Draft NCHER Bill, 2010

In response to the reports, the government drafted a Bill on higher

education and put it in the public domain. The draft National

Commission for Higher Education and Research Bill, 2010 seeks to

establish the National Commission for Higher Education and

Research whose members shall be appointed by the President on

the recommendation of the selection committee (include Prime

Minister, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Speaker).

The Commission shall take measures to promote autonomy of

higher education and for facilitating access, inclusion andopportunities to all. It may specify norms for grant of authorisation

to a university, develop a national curriculum framework, specify

requirement of academic quality for awarding a degree, specify

minimum eligibility conditions for appointment of Vice Chancellors,

maintain a national registry, and encourage universities to become

self regulatory. Vice Chancellors shall be appointed on therecommendation of a collegium of eminent personalities. The

national registry shall be maintained with the names of persons

eligible for appointment as Vice Chancellor or head of institution of

national importance. Any person can appeal a decision of the

Commission to the National Educational Tribunal. (For opinions by

some experts on the Bill, click here and here.)



Other Bills that are in the pipeline include The Foreign Educational

Institutions (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill, 2010; the

Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission)

(Amendment) Bill, 2010; and the Innovation Universities Bill, 2010.

Revamping Higher Education

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