Journal Global Values, Vol. XIII, Special Issue, Sept.

2022, ISSN: (P) 0976-9447, (e) 2454-8391, Impact Factor 8.808(SJIF)

https://doi.org/10.31995/jgv.2022.v13iS.023

A RESEARCH WRITE-UP ON THE PRESENT SCENARIO OF HIGHER

EDUCATION IN INDIA

Jitendra Pratap Singh

Research Scholar
M.J.P. Rohilkhand University, Bareilly
Email: jitendrapratapsingh@gmail.com

Abstract
Reference to this paper
Education is a very important factor in the development of a country. We should make it
should be made as follows:
appropriate according to the time and changing scenario of the world. Education provides an
opportunity to reflect upon the social, economic, cultural, and moral issues faced by a human
being. India needs to focus on education for more educated and efficient people to drive our
nation. In the world, there are many Indians who are well known for their capabilities and skills. Jitendra Pratap Singh
To develop India as a digital nation or to become a prosperous partner in global development,
India has to strengthen higher education with research and development. This paper is mainly
A RESEARCH WRITE-UP ON
focused on the overall scenario of higher education in India. This paper aims to identify issues
THE PRESENT SCENARIO OF
and challenges in the field of higher education in India. Finally, the paper concluded here is all
HIGHER EDUCATION IN INDIA
stakeholders have to make a joint effort to get solutions to the problems in higher education in
India.
Vol. XIII, Special Issue
Keywords
pp.117-122
Higher Education, Indian and Worldwide Scenario, Research in Higher Education, Article No.23
Technical Education.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.31995/
jgv.2022v13iS.023

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A RESEARCH WRITE-UP ON THE PRESENT SCENARIO OF HIGHER EDUCATIN IN INDIA
Jitendra Pratap Singh

Introduction
India has significant advantages in the 21st-century knowledge race. It has a large higher education
sector, the third-largest in the world (in student numbers) after China and the United States. It uses English as
a primary language of higher education and research. But there are a small number of high-quality institutions,
departments, and centres that can form the basis of the quality sector in higher education. The fact that the
States, rather than the Central Government, exercise major responsibility for higher education creates a rather
cumbersome structure, but the system allows for a variety of policies and approaches.
Prevailing Scenario of Higher Education in India
One problem is numbers and the other is quality. We want to be a developed country. If we want to
achieve that target, we should have at least 20% of the age group in higher education. The present number is
uncertain but is reported to be around 10%. In other words, within a decade we will have to double the
opportunities for higher education. It is just impossible for the Government alone to create the facilities needed.
Private providers have to play a role. On the 29th of November 2006, the Chairman National Knowledge
Commission wrote to the Prime Minister, recommending 1500 universities from India. Again, 2 years later, in
2008, Yasphal Committee recommended 1500 universities from India. These numbers are by no means large.
The USA has 3500 universities; the UK with a population less than that of Tamil Nadu has 125 universities;
Germany with a population of 82 million has 350 universities; Japan with a population of 127 million has 726
universities. It is said that a nation must periodically introduce minor revolutions. Otherwise, it will have to
face a major revolution. India today, requires a major revolution in higher education.
Role of Foreign Educational Institutions in Higher Education
There are several rationales for allowing foreign education institutions to be established in India. These
are: to improve human resource development; to upgrade the quality of Indian higher education by
internationalizing some specialized research areas; to minimize brain drain; to promote competitiveness; and
to attract foreign investment in education. If we allow foreign educational institutes then what will be the
scenario? They will not focus on our culture and values, and our students may become foreigners from within
so we will lose our young generation. We have to make certain policies to handle these issues.
The scenario of Advanced Research
Coming to another important component of higher education, is research. In the Science Summit held
in Bangalore, in 2000, the former secretary of the Department of Science and Technology gave the following
information based on estimates that emerged in a discussion meeting. In technology that is used in India, the
foreign components were as follows: (1) Foreign technology used without alteration 50% (2) Foreign technology
modified and adapted to suit our need 45% (3) Indigenous technology 5%. The Defence Minister of India stated
in Parliament that, our weapons are outdated and we are depending on imports from abroad for nearly 70% of
our equipment. In an age of globalization, no country will sell advanced technology or lend advanced technology.
We have to substantially develop our own. This requires augmenting our research capability. We may take a
look at the state of research in India. It may be meaningful to compare our position with China. In 1980, India
published 10,606 papers with citations. The number from China was 682. In 1990, India published 11563
research papers and the number from China was 6991. In 2005, the number from India was 25227 while the
number from China was 72,362. We have to focus on advanced research to fulfil our requirements in different
areas. We should not depend on other countries for any equipment.
Research in Higher Education
The higher education sector in India spends 4.1% of the country’s research fund. It is 17.0% in Germany;
22.6% in U.K. and 10.1% China. The research manpower in China is8.6 lakhs; in India 1.3 lakhs and even in
Korea it is 1.5 lakhs. The higher education scene in India should kindly be looked into. Every institution has
Lecturers, Assistant professors, and professors; and all are expected to do research. In India, higher education
is in the affiliated colleges which are 22000 in number. They have no Professors; not even Assistant professors

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 Journal Global Values, Vol. XIII, Special Issue, Sept. 2022, ISSN: (P) 0976-9447, (e) 2454-8391, Impact Factor 8.808(SJIF)
https://doi.org/10.31995/jgv.2022.v13iS.023

necessarily. Ninety per cent (90%) of our undergraduate students and 66% of our postgraduate students; and
84% of our faculty in higher education are in the affiliated colleges. There is no research in the affiliated
colleges; this means that in the field of higher education 84% of faculty members do not do research. They are
not expected to do research and only 16% of the faculty in higher education is expected to do research in the
country. How can university research prosper with such grossly inadequate numbers not engaging in research,
in comparison with the entire higher education faculty being expected to do research in advanced countries.
The Indian higher education sector should spend more money on research and motivate faculty of higher
education working in affiliated colleges.
Teacher Education
At present teacher education programme (B.Ed.) is two years duration after graduation. Pre- service
education should provide enough exposure to the teacher so that they can fully utilize information and
communication technologies. The focus of teacher training should become more school-based. Teacher education
programs should offer input so that the teachers become more commitment-oriented. Teacher education
programmes should develop in teachers new insight into a plurality of perspectives. This means each individual
is unique and different from the other. There is another aspect which relates to developing collaborative
programmes of teacher education jointly by the National Council of Educational and Training, National Institute
of Educational Planning and Administration, State Council of Educational Research and Training and District
Institute of Education and Training. At the moment these different institutions which are research and resource
organizations work more or less in isolation (Trist 1983). Complexity and the flux of the environment give rise
to Meta problems which are different from discreet problems. Meta problems require inter-organization
collaborations which provide poly- dimensional and multi-facet solutions. Thus, institutions like the National
Council of Educational and Training, National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, National
Council of Teacher Education, University Grants Commission and others must have more collaborative projects.
Education at the UG level
Universities should give more attention to undergraduate teaching. Within 10 years at least 50% of
university-age learners can receive higher education. Links should be developed between school education and
higher education. In many universities teaching at an undergraduate level is not given full attention. This trend
harms university education and must be checked. Most of the teaching in universities and colleges do not keep
the potentialities of the learner in view.
University teachers often keep only the prescribed content in focus and are unmindful of the learner’s
abilities to assimilate. University teachers should have to be oriented toward this through a faculty improvement
programme.
Technical Education
The continuous advancement of science and the application of improved technology from the middle
range. Technical education, both vocational and professional, constitutes the foundation for the development of
science and technology. A large number of the country’s engineering colleges need to be upgraded to quality
standards nearer to those of India’s world-class IITs. India’s expenditure on R&D, which is currently 1/60th
that of Korea, needs to be dramatically enhanced. Another essential requirement is to improve the linkage
between technology development and technology application by fostering close ties between basic research
and business. Concentrated efforts are needed to tap the potential of alternative methods of knowledge delivery
including television, computerized self-learning, and internet-based courses. India should embark on a massive
program to convert the entire higher education curriculum into multimedia, web-based format and to establish
accredited standards for recognition of distance educational courseware.
Recommendations of Various Committees and Commissions
To improve the quality of higher education, many recommendations have been given by various
committees and commissions set up from time to time. The University Education Commission (1948-49) while

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Jitendra Pratap Singh

delineating the aims of higher education has highlighted the following: students should be made to realize the
ultimate goals and purpose of life; to acquaint them with the social philosophy that governs all institutions; to
train for democracy; to train for self-development; develop certain values like fearlessness of mind, the strength
of conscience and integrity of purpose; to acquaint with cultural heritage for its regeneration; to enable them to
understand that education is a lifelong process; to train them in skills, and to develop in them the understanding
of the present as well as that of the past. Based on these, the curriculum for higher education was to be developed
and implemented in higher education institutions. But, still, many of these aims are not taken into cognizance
while developing a curriculum. The recommendations given by Education Commission (1964-66), and National
Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 are relevant even today and give scope for an action plan at various stages of
education. Some of these aims are achieved by higher education institutions that have committed to the cause
of education. Revised Assessment and Accreditation Framework of NAAC: Revised Assessment and
Accreditation Framework represents an explicit paradigm shift making it ICT-enabled, objective, transparent,
scalable and robust. The points of the shift are: from qualitative peer judgment to data-based quantitative
indicator evaluation with increased objectivity and transparency; Towards extensive use of ICT confirming
scalability and robustness; In simplification of the process, drastic reduction in the number of questions, size of
the report, visit days, and so on; In boosting benchmarking as quality improvement tool through comparison of
NAAC indicators with other international QA. frameworks; In introducing pre-qualifier for peer team visit, as
30% of system generated score (reduced to 25%, in Jan2020); In introducing System Generated Scores (SGS)
with the combination of online evaluation (about 70%) and peer judgment (about 30%); Towards introducing
the element of third party validation of data; In providing appropriate differences in the metrics, weightage and
benchmarks to universities, autonomous colleges and affiliated/constituent colleges; In revising several metrics
to bring in enhanced participation of students and alumni in the assessment process. In January 2020, further
modifications were done concerning optional metrics, the percentage/number of students to be selected for
Student Support Services, and the percentage for pre-qualifying in the quantitative metrics during the Data
Validation and Verification (DVV) Process. Continuous feedback from the stakeholders is helping NAAC in
refining the assessment and accreditation process to become institutional friendly, and at the same time to raise
the quality of educational institutions. National Education Policy 2020: Different approach: There are numerous
challenges to conducting online examinations at scale, including limitations on the types of questions that can
be asked in an online environment, handling network and power disruptions, and preventing unethical practices.
Certain types of courses/subjects, such as performing arts and science practicals have limitations in the online/
digital education space, which can be overcome to a partial extent with innovative measures. Further, unless
online education is blended with experiential and activity-based learning, it will tend to become a screen-based
education with limited focus on the social, affective and psychomotor dimensions of learning. Given the
emergence of digital technologies and the emerging importance of leveraging technology for teaching-learning
at all levels from school to higher education, this Policy recommends the following key initiatives: (a) Pilot
studies for online education: Appropriate agencies, such as the NETF, CIET, NIOS, IGNOU, IITs, NITs, etc.
will be identified to conduct a series of pilot studies, in parallel, to evaluate the benefits of integrating education
with online education while mitigating the downsides and also to study related areas, such as student device
addiction, most preferred formats of e-content, etc. The results of these pilot studies will be publicly
communicated and used for continuous improvement. (b) Digital infrastructure: There is a need to invest in the
creation of open, interoperable, evolvable, public digital infrastructure in the education sector that can be used
by multiple platforms and point solutions, to solve India’s scale, diversity, complexity and device penetration.
This will ensure that the technology-based solutions do not become outdated with the rapid advances in
technology. (c) Online teaching platform and tools: Appropriate existing e-learning platforms such as SWAYAM,
and DIKSHA, will be extended to provide teachers with a structured, user-friendly, rich set of assistive tools for
monitoring the progress of learners. Tools, such as two-way video and two way-audio interfaces for holding
online classes are a real necessity as the present pandemic has shown. (d) Content creation, digital repository,

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 Journal Global Values, Vol. XIII, Special Issue, Sept. 2022, ISSN: (P) 0976-9447, (e) 2454-8391, Impact Factor 8.808(SJIF)
https://doi.org/10.31995/jgv.2022.v13iS.023

and dissemination: A digital repository of content including the creation of coursework, Learning Games &
Simulations, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality will be developed, with a clear public system for ratings
by users on effectiveness and quality. For fun-based learning, student-appropriate tools like apps, gamification
of Indian art and culture, in multiple languages, with clear operating instructions, will also be created. A reliable
backup mechanism for disseminating e-content to students will be provided. (e) Addressing the digital divide:
Given the fact that there persists a substantial section of the population whose digital access is highly limited,
the existing mass media, such as television, radio, and community radio will be extensively used for telecasts
and broadcasts. Such educational programmes will be made available 24/7 in different languages to cater to the
varying needs of the student population. A special focus on content in all Indian languages will be emphasized
and required; digital content will need to reach the teachers and students in their medium of instruction as far as
possible. (f) Virtual Labs: Existing e-learning platforms such as DIKSHA, SWAYAM and SWAYAMPRABHA
will also be leveraged for creating virtual labs so that all students have equal access to quality practical and
hands-on experiment-based learning experiences. The possibility of providing adequate access to SEDG students
and teachers through suitable digital devices, such as tablets with pre-loaded content, will be considered and
developed. (g) Training and incentives for teachers: Teachers will undergo rigorous training in learner-centric
pedagogy and on how to become high-quality online content creators themselves using online teaching platforms
and tools. There will be an emphasis on the teacher’s role in facilitating active student engagement with the
content and with each other. (h) Online assessment and examinations: Appropriate bodies, such as the proposed
National Assessment Centre or PAREKH, School Boards, NTA, and other identified bodies will design and
implement assessment frameworks encompassing the design of competencies, portfolios, rubrics, standardized
assessments, and assessment analytics. Studies will be undertaken to pilot new ways of assessment using
education technologies focusing on 21st-century skills. (i) Blended models of learning: While promoting digital
learning and education, the importance of face-to- face in-person learning is fully recognized. Accordingly,
different effective models of blended learning will be identified for appropriate replication for different subjects.
(j) Laying down standards: As research on online/digital education emerges, NETF and other appropriate bodies
shall set up standards of emerges, NETF and other appropriate bodies shall set up standards of content, technology,
and pedagogy for online/digital teaching-learning. These standards will help to formulate guidelines for e-
learning by States, Boards, schools and school complexes, HEIs, etc. Under the new policy, private and self-
governed colleges will receive more autonomy. When these colleges hand out certifications unchecked,
corporatism will follow. This will create a situation where higher studies become a privilege only for those who
can afford it. A centralized education system will amount to a stepping stone to social exclusion and dilution of
the Right to Education Act. The government stated that it is proposing to improve the quality and autonomy of
higher education, however, is a completely backward move; it is dismantling the University Grants Commission
(UGC) which was a core structural and regulatory body for higher education. This will only accelerate the
commodification and centralization of education, which is perilous considering the probability of the ruling
party pushing its ideological and capital requirements. This is not the first time such a move was attempted. The
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government tried to bring in similar reforms but was met with strong opposition. The
present education reforms have come into being only as it was passed through the backdoor without the consent
of the parliament. Organizations and institutions when vested with educational structure and financial autonomy
will be enabled to create additional courses and departments. However, without funding from government
bodies, institutions will naturally turn to the students. Thetuition fee will substantially increase, not just for
students in that particular department, but for all the students attending that institution. This coupled with
another feature offered by the NEP, i.e., multiple exit options at universities will increase the dropout rates.
Under the multiple exit and entry option, if a student decides to leave mid-course, he/she will receive appropriate
certification for credits earned until that point which will be digitally stored in an Academic Bank of Credit
(ABC). A ‘certificate’, a ‘diploma’, a ‘Bachelor’s degree’ and ‘Bachelor’s Degree with Research’ respectively
will be awarded for each year of a four-year course. With financial autonomy resulting in a financial burden on

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Jitendra Pratap Singh

students and availability of certification each year, more students will be prompted to drop out. This creates an
immense disparity between financially able and disabled students. Financially better-off students will get higher
chances for studies and be able to acquire better opportunities. This would again amount to the dilution of the
Right to Education Act. The government has introduced vocational and polytechnic education for school students
through the new policy under the title ‘Reimagining vocational education’, which aims to remove the hard
separation between academic and vocational streams. Vocational subjects will be introduced as early as grade
6, including internship opportunities from grades 6 to 12. This however ignores the importance of ensuring
basic mainstream education to all students till at least grade 10. Students opting for such courses will certainly
not be from privileged backgrounds. Children who are economically backwards and belonging to lower castes
who struggle in English, coding, etc would end up opting for these streams. Introducing this at such an early
age will form a barrier for first-generation learners and those from disadvantaged backgrounds to access higher
education. NEP Recommendations for Multidisciplinary Higher Education in India: NEP discusses the ancient
Indian education system in which subjects such as science and medicine were clubbed as ‘arts’ or ‘Klaas’ along
with subjects such as communication, and vocational skills, singing etc. It plans to bring the practice of liberal
arts or knowledge of many arts into the Indian education system. NEP aims to take a more holistic approach
toward providing higher education in India. Given below are the highlights of the NEP’s recommendations to
move India toward a more multidisciplinary higher education system. Complete Revamp of HEIs in India: NEP
does not plan merely an incremental but a complete revamp of higher education in India. It wants to shift the
image of a university to a place of higher learning providing education in multiple streams. The policy will
assess humanities subjects along with STEM studies and increase the level of research in Indian universities.
Conclusion
The need for higher education cannot be met by the Government alone. It needs the participation of the
Government, the private providers and perhaps selectively participation of foreign universities. We have to free
ourselves from the mindset and take a realistic attitude, taking into consideration the fact that a major revolution
is taking place in higher education in the world. We have to take certain steps to the improvement of our higher
education system.
References
1. Misra, Vidyanivas. (1998). Teaching: Indian Perspective. NCTE: New Delhi.
2. Altbach. (2005). “India: a World-Class Country without World-Class Higher Education.” International
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3. Bhushan, S. (2005). “Foreign Universities in India: Market-Driven New Directions.” International Higher
Education41 (Fall)
4. Goswami, U. A. (2006). Leading foreign institutes may soon be here. The EconomicTimes.
5. Kemp, N. (2007). The Evolving Private Sector in Higher Education: What Lessons from India? Australian
International Education Conference, Melbourne, IDP.
6. Misra, Vidyanivas. (1998). Teaching: Indian Perspective. NCTE: New Delhi.
7. National Knowledge Commission, G. o. I. (2007). Report to the Nation.
8. Viruru, R. (2001). Early Childhood Education: Postcolonial Perspectives from India. Sage Publications:
New Delhi.

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