Asst Prof. Ameya.C.

Lohar ( Commerce Department )

GDM Arts, KRN Commerce and MD Science College, Jamner, Jalgaon

Email – ameya.c.lohar@gmail.com

Contact No – 9960336255

Title - Issues and Challenges in Higher Education System in India

Abstract-

Education is the process of learning and getting knowledge through teaching, training,
discussion, practical’s and research etc. Education is transmitted in the society from one
generation to another by skills of experience & knowledge. Basically stages of Education are
preschool, primary school, secondary school and then Higher Education through college,
University and Institution.

There were challenges to Higher Education in past but in recent decades growth in
institutional capacity, enrollment, teacher-student ratio is developed. Still we need Higher
Educated people who are skilled and who can drive our economy forward. Thus there is a need
of people who can transfer our country from a developing nation to a developed nation very
easily and quickly.

Introduction –

India’s higher education system is world’s third largest system in terms of students.
Approximately 11 % of India’s youth study in Higher Education System. As per the latest data
available with department of Higher Education Government of India there are 2,96,29,022
students enrolled out of which 1.6 crores are boys and 1.3 crores are girls, 37,204 colleges, 677
universities, 11,443 stand alone Institution, 201 private universities, 45 central universities, 1
national open university, 13 state open universities, 49 deemed universities and 73 Institutes of
national importance. The Ministry of Human Resource Development is responsible for
supervising the functioning of all universities. Though the chief regulatory body UGG
( University Grant Commission ) other Government organization whose contribution for the
upliftment of Indian education system are worth mentioning are All Indian Council for
Technical Education ( AICTE ) and National Assessment and Accreditation Council ( NAAC ).

In response to social need of empowerment and capacity of building Higher Education,

the number of Institution has multiplied with the increase in the intake of students. UGC and
other regulatory body has been applying enormous efforts to improve education qualities by
funding to several universities and colleges. “The more knowledge one has, the more
Empowered he is”. At present there is limitation of world class institution in India. Most of
Indian colleges and Universities lack in high-end research facilities in India also there is under
investment in libraries, Information Technology, Laboratory and Class rooms.

Objectives of Study -

1) To Analyze current Higher Education System in India.

2) To study critical Issues and emerging challenges in Indian Higher Education system.
3) To highlight opportunities and Suggestions in Higher Education System in India.

Research Methodology –

This paper is a macro level paper based on secondary data only. The data is collected
from various unpublished and published records, reports, magazines, institutes and Individuals
in India. Special stress is given on data available with Education Department of Ministry of
Human Resources Development, journals, UGC, books and Website.

Current Higher Education System -

Higher Education System in India compare to developing countries needs substantial

improvement. The percentage of students taking higher education is hardly about 13 % whereas
the same is varying between 28 to 90 %, across the world. The lowest % being 28 % and the
same is as high as 90 % in developed countries. At one end we claim that India would rank
3rd among all countries by 2020 in education. If we observe overall ranking of relevant
institutions it’s seen that in the year 2000, out of 500 there were 2 Indian Universities / Institutes
were featured in the list, and 1 institution from China. Now almost after a decade in 2010 the
tables have changed with only 1 institution from India being featured and 32 institutions are
featured from China.
 The Present System in India does not serve the purpose for which it has been started. In
general it has become so profitable business that quality is lost in the increase of quantity of
professional institutes in quota system thereby increasing unemployment for the graduates in
India. According to study only 25 % of engineering graduates are directly employable. The
numbers of Ph.d qualified each year are very low as those are required. Most of educational
institutes are owned by politicians in Maharashtra and South India. Most of higher education
system observer observed that the performance is less than satisfactory in terms of access, equity
and quality. There is an urgent need to work for developing educational sector.

Critical Issues and Challenges in Indian Higher Education system –

1) The participation of students in processions, strikes, demonstration, mass meetings,

damaging laboratories and libraries, indulging in ragging like activities on campus etc
2) The student in modern society is involving in more intensely social change. The modern
student is breaking away from intensely traditions to new cultures and new thinking –
Gandhi giri and Anna giri for various missions.
3) There are basic problems regarding infrastructure, poor faculties, outdated teaching
methods, lower standard of research, overcrowded classrooms, low student enrolment
rate and ethnic imbalances.
4) Economic difficulties are faced by the students. Major students come from ordinary class
and many of them are unable to provide for minimum necessities of life. Economic stress
on students due to which they have to hold part time jobs to pay for educational fees
5) Our heterogeneous educational system is based on geographical, rural-urban, rich-poor
has set up great challenge for educational institutions. Verities of colleges, universities,
technical institutions have produced different types and quality of education.
6) Most of the Institutes are owned by dominant political leaders playing roles at various
level in government bodies. This politician’s exploit the students for their political need
and support. The student forgets his own objective and enrolls himself in political
activities.
7) There is a lack of universities and institutes in India and the faculties are with insufficient
knowledge. Most of the teachers are making money with their private tuitions instead of
teaching at colleges.
Opportunities and Suggestions in Higher Education System in India

1) Global economy - India has emerged as a global economy. It facilities training ,

education, research related activities in various faculties of Arts, Commerce, Science,
Medicine, Engineering, law, Agriculture, linguistics and communication etc. Higher
education system benefits the individuals specifically as it copes youth to employment,
higher salaries and higher propensity to consume and save.
2) Mobilize Resources – There is a need to revise the Fee structure so that the student can
pay the fees for his education. The lower economic level students should be given highly
subsidized Education.
3) Incentives to Researchers – Vocational and diploma courses need to be more attractive
to fascinate special programs for the students. Incentives should be provided to teachers
to make this profession more attractive.
4) Towards Society – A learning society requires human activity from experts, thus there is
a need to invest more and more in Higher education measures will be taken to refine,
diversify and upgrade higher education and research related programs.
5) Public Private Partnership - PPP is most essential element in higher education system.
To achieve the excellence, we thus need to create a real partnership between government,
educators and industry- partnership that can provide higher technology to students
education system along with maintaining Industry standards.
6) Need Based Job-Oriented courses – Combination of arts subjects , computer related
science, humanities, literature should be introduced so that such courses could be useful
for the students to do jobs after recruitment in some companies.
7) Individuality – Parents should encourage their children’s to wonderful activities such as
sports, music, dance, painting, science and technology. Further the fee for education in
general should not be high, especially for higher studies should be within reach of every
class of people in the nation.

Conclusion – We need higher educated people who are skilled and who can drive our
economy forward. When India can provide skilled people to the outside world then we can
transfer our country from a developing nation to a developed nation very easily and quickly.
Higher education system in India has to maintain the high standards of education keeping
pace with the development that take place in the field of knowledge and technology. Higher
Education in India is an extraordinarily important part of modern Indian education society
and is connected with political and social factors. It is a need of change, development and
important to achieve effectively plan for reforms and is necessary to have in realistic
perception of What Is Possible Or Not.

References –

1) http://blog.suryadatta.org/spotlight/the-current-scenario-of-higher-education-system-in-
india
2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higher_education_in_India

3) Ministry Of Human Resource Development - http://mhrd.gov.in/

4) Dr. suhas Avhad – Emerging issues and challenges in Higher education Abhinav –
International monthly referred journal of research and management & technology volume
II January 2013
5) Dr. Kamar Jahan and Dr. D Christy selvarani – Higher Education in India – Issues and
Challenges – International conference on Humanities, literature and management
(ICHLM’15) jan 9-10,2015 Dubai (UAE).
6) Dr. J D Singh – Higher Education in India- Issues , Challenges and Suggestions