Growth of Higher Education in India

Colleges Univs Enrolment

(million)
† 1947-48 516 20 0.2
HIGHER EDUCATION IN INDIA †
†
1950-51
1960-61
578
1,819
28
45
0.2
0.6
† 1970-71 3,277 93 2.0
† 1980-81 4,577 123 2.8
† 1990-91 6,627 184 4.4
† 2000-01 10,152 254 8.6
† 2008-09 25,951 516* 13.6
Jandhyala Tilak * includes 88 universities ‘not fit for central assistance.’

National University of Educational Planning and Administration Gross Enrolment Ratio (2008-
(2008-09): 12.4 per cent
New Delhi
1 2

Institutions of Distribution of Students in Higher

Higher Education, 2009 Education, 2008-
2008-09

† Universities 516
Research,
„ Central 40 0.7
Post
„ State 234 Graduate,
Univerities,
Diploma/Cer
12.2
„ Institutions deemed to be universities* 128 10.9 tificate, 1.1

„ Institutions estd through State Legislation 5

„ Institutions of national importance 39
Colleges,
„ State Private Universities 21 Graduate, 87.8
† Colleges 25,951 87.3
Distribution of Students by
Distribution of Students by Levels Institutions
* public and private

3 4

Distribution of Students by Strengths of

Discipline of Study, 2008-09 Indian Higher Education
Agriculture, Veterinary
Science, 0.2
† One of the largest education systems
0.6
Law, 2.8 † Largest stock of educated manpower
Medicine, 3.3 Others, 1.0
Engg/Technol „Self reliance in manpower needs
Export of manpower
goy, 9.6
Arts, 43.1
„
Education,
2.1 † Democratisation: improvement in equity
Commerce/M
† Pockets of excellence
anagement,
18.2 Science, 19.2
† Diversity
† Socioeconomic development
† Democracy and political stability
5 6

Tilak/Higher Education in India IGIDR Nov

2009 1
 Weaknesses of The Growth is not Adequate
Indian Higher Education
† For rapid economic development
† Falling standards and low quality
† To face global challenges
† Glaring inequalities
„ Globalisation and international competition
„ Regional, socio-economic,..
† For sustainable high levels human development
† Imbalanced development
† For building an equitable system of education,
„ Some disciplines flourish and some perish!
promising opportunities for all
† Highly inadequate numbers
† Creation of Knowledge Society

7 8

Gross Enrolment Ratio in

Higher Education Inequalities in Higher Education
15 † Regional
„ Inter-State disparities
12.4
11.6
„ Rural-urban
10
9.0 † Inequalities between Social Groups
„ Caste
5 5.4
4.3
„ Religion
3.9
„ gender
2.0

0
1.0 † Inequalities between Economic Groups
1950-51 1960-61 1970-71 1980-81 1990-91 2002-03 2005-06 2008-09

9 10

Regional Disparities: Gross Enrolment Ratio

Adult Population
in Higher Education, 2005-06 (%)
Delhi
with Higher Education (%)
Chandigarh
Pudicherry
Tamil Nadu
Uttarakhand
Andhra Pradesh
14.9
16
Himachal Prades h
Meghalaya
1995-96
Maharashtra 14
Karnataka 2007-08
Madhya Pradesh 12
Goa
Manipur 10
Sikkim
Gujarat
8 11.2 6.2
Punjab
Mizoram
All India 6
Kerala
Haryana 4 2.7
Nagaland 4.2
Oris s a
Uttar Prades h
2
1.6
Chattis garh
Jharkhand 0
West Bengal
Jammu & Kas hmir Rural India Urban India All India
Rajas than
Arunachal Prades h
As s am
Tripura
Bihar

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 11 50 12

Tilak/Higher Education in India IGIDR Nov

2009 2
 % of Population (7+) with Higher Inequities by Economic levels
Education, by Social Groups, 1999-2000 Adult Population with Higher Education
29.2
Rural Urban 30
1995-96 2007-08

Male Female All Male Female All 25

20
Scheduled Tribes 1.2 0.2 0.7 9.1 4.7 7.0
15
Scheduled Castes 1.3 0.3 0.8 4.1 2.0 3.1 10.2
10 6.7
Other Backward Castes 2.1 0.6 1.4 1.1 3.7 5.5 4.2
5 1.7 1.5 2.3 3.2
Others 4.4 1.4 3.0 18.2 12.7 15.6 0.9 1.0

0
All 2.6 0.8 1.7 12.7 8.2 10.5 Poorest Second Third Quintile Fourth Richest
Quintile Quintile Quintile Quintile
Source: NSS 55th Round Household Expenditure Groups

13 14

Recent Trends in Public Policies

Recent Trends
† Reduced Levels of Public Funding
„ Total, per student, %s † Corporatization of universities
† Increased Levels of Cost Recovery † International trade in higher education
„ Fees, Loans, … „ Growth of foreign education providers (informal,
† Non-Recruitment of Teachers including e-learning)
„ Recruitment of para teachers
† Growth of some disciplines and neglect of
† Growth of private institutions
„ Increase in for-profit institutions of higher education -- others
towards vulgar forms of commercialization-- more
privatised than many other countries † Emphasis on open learning systems
„ (Many private) Colleges → ‘deemed’ universities † Overall neglect of higher education
„ Decline in philanthropy
† New plans for expansion
15 16

Declining Per Student Real

Expenditure on Higher Education Steep Increases in Fees
Index † Recommendation: 20% cost recovery rate
120
† Introduction of different types of fees:
„ Foreign/NRI students, management quota, merit
100 (free) and payment seats, normal…
† Fees for different items
80 „ Application, registration, lab, exams, marks
statement, fees for authentication of certificates …..
† Erratic and uncontrolled Increases in fees
60
1990-91 1993-94 1996-97 1999-2000 2002-03RE
† Introduction of Self financing courses

17 18

Tilak/Higher Education in India IGIDR Nov

2009 3
 Student Loans Student Loans
Problems with Bank operated Loans
† Revitalization of Student Loan Programmes † Limited in number

† Government operated loan scheme replaced † Not Equity Oriented

by Bank operated Loans † Not Excellence Oriented

† Increasing reliance on loans † Accentuation of commercialisation of higher

education
† Loans preferred over scholarships (by the
† Further Increase in fees
government)
† Restricting access and Increase in inequities
† Shifting of responsibility to the individual
domain
19 20

Teacher Recruitment Teachers in Higher Education, 2008-

2008-
09 (‘
(‘000s)
† Stagnation/Non-Recruitment for several years Universities Colleges Total
in many universities and colleges † Professors 19.1 32.9 52.0
„ Fiscal † Readers 28.2 123.6 151.8
„ New policies † Sr Lecturers 13.8 69.2 82.9
† Recruitment of para teachers † Lectures 26.5 260.3 286.7
„ Under qualified † Tutors/Demonstrators 2.1 12.5 14.5
„ Under paid † Total 90.0 498.4 588.3
(15.3) (84.7)
„ Unfair service conditions (100)

21 22

Teacher Shortage Privatisation of Higher

† The UN Rao committee: in 2000-01 Education: Trends
Indian engineering institutions required
„ Total 60,970 teachers, ↓Decline in Philanthropy
‡ 8,710 professors,
† Virtual halt of State-aided private sector
‡ 17,420 readers and

‡ 34,840 lecturers ↑Rapid growth in Self-financing private sector,

† Top central universities have 34% leading to diminution of public sector
teaching posts vacant ↑ Growth in Self financing courses in public
† IITs, IIMs face 25% faculty shortage universities/colleges
† Public Sector displacement

23 24

Tilak/Higher Education in India IGIDR Nov

2009 4
 Growth of Private Sector Factors responsible
in Higher Education (Andhra Pradesh) † Neo-liberal policies
100% † Faulty assumptions on the role of higher
education
75%
„ Higher education is not important for economic growth
50% „ Higher education is not poverty-reducing
„ Higher education is not related to human development
25% „ Higher education is at the cost of elementary education

0%
† Lack of resources
Engg. M ed. Etc Gen. Degree Polytech. Jr Colleges „ Decline in resource capacity of the Government
Government Private Aided Private Self-Financing Source: Govt of AP

25 26

Why Higher Education is Questionable Assumptions

Neglected?: Faulty Assumptions
1) Primary education can be universalized only if
4) Higher education over expanded.
at the cost of secondary and higher
education. Higher education expanded at the 5) Government need not bother about higher
cost of primary education. education; State can withdraw from higher
education.
2) Higher education is not important for
economic growth. 6) Higher education is heavily subsidised by the
State.
3) Higher education is not important for
poverty reduction and human development. 7) Higher education is a non-merit good; it is not
a public good.
27 28

Recent Initiatives/Proposals
Increasing importance of Higher † Setting of ABC
Education due to † Setting up of NKC
„ Advisory body to the Prime Minister
† Eleventh Five Year plan: INCLUSIVE GROWTH !
† Globalisation
† Expansion of higher education (XI Plan/NKC)
† International Competition „ 15% GER by 2012
‡ Enrolment to increase to 21 million from 14 million;
† Brain Drain ‡ Annual growth rate: 9% in general
† Need to create Knowledge Society 15% in Technical/Professional
„ 1500 universities ! (one per district!) [NKC]
„ Supply of not just skilled/educated workers, „ 30 new central universities (at least one in each state)
but knowledge workers „ 14 world class universities
† Need to improve socioeconomic equity „ 374 New colleges in all low enrolment ratio districts
„ Universities: at least one in each district

29 30

Tilak/Higher Education in India IGIDR Nov

2009 5
 Proposals for Expansion (XI Plan)
National Knowledge Commission
New Existing
„ Indian Institutes of Management: 7 6 † 1500 universities
„ Indian Institutes of Technology 8 7
† 50 National/World class universities
„ National Institutes of Technology 10 20
† IRAHE
„ IISERs 5 2
„ Reduced role of UGC, BCI, MCI etc.
„ Indian Institutes of Information Technology 20 4 „ Abolition of AICTE
„ Schools of Planning and Architecture 2 1 † Central Board of Under-Graduate Education
„ Engineering & Tech colleges: 1000 1617
† State Boards of Under-Graduate Education
„ Polytechnics in each district: 700 1292
„ Research Centres in Frontier Areas 50
„ ‘Knowledge Cities’ and ‘Knowledge networks’

31 32

Important Concerns States on Top (in the number of

‰ Ambitious plans? Universities*), 2009
‰ Where do you get Tamil Nadu 50

‰ Resources Maharashtra 41

‰ Faculty Uttar Pradesh 38

‰ Students Andhra Pradesh 33

‰ Conceptually weak plans Karnataka 32

‰ Setting up world class universities ! Rajasthan 28

‰ Unviable institutions
Gujarat 24

West Bengal 20
‰ University in each district !
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
‰ Colleges everywhere
33 34
* recognised by UGC

Massive Resource Gap Important Concerns

‰ Unrealistic expectations
† 11th Plan allocation for higher education
„ for new initiatives
‰ Meaningful PPP
‡ Allocation : Rs 306,820 million (12%) ‰ Gains from trade in higher education
‡ Resource Requirement: Rs. 2,522,600 million (100%)
‡ Resource Gap: Rs. 2,215,780 million (88%)
‰ Incompatible goals and strategies
‰ Inclusive growth and PPP, fees,
„ These do not reflect total resource requirements
loans….
‡ Land cost not included
‡ Remaining Uncovered colleges (6000) would cost additional ‰ Excellence in higher education –
Rs.600,000 million inadequate numbers of teachers
‡ Additionally one university per district: 200 more universities,
another Rs. 1,000,000 million

35 36

Tilak/Higher Education in India IGIDR Nov

2009 6
 Important Concerns:
Strategies Proposed Important Concerns
‰ More Privatisation
† Public-Private Partnership ‰ All the proposed strategies have serious
† Further increase in cost recovery weaknesses and dangerous implications for
† Further expansion of student loan programme ‰ Equity
† International trade in education ‰ Quality
„ zones, tax incentives
‰ Overall expansion
† Emphasis on open learning systems
‰ Values
† Governance
‰ Public good character of higher education
„ IRAHE in place of UGC, AICTE,… ?
„ Autonomy -- towards deregulation, liberalisation and
privatisation ?
37 38

A More Recent Committee: Yashpal

Committee Yashpal Committee
† Central funding of state universities
† National Commission for Higher Education &
Research † Knowledge integration
„ Self regulation of universities „ UG+PG+research
† Curb on deemed universities „ Multidisciplinary institutions
„ IITs to become universities
† Less reliance on private education
„ Private education = business entities † Educational Tribunal

† Selective approach on internationalisation

39 40

More Recent Developments:

NKC vs YPC The Bills in process
NKC: why IRAHE † Foreign Universities
YPC: why NCHER
† Requires flexibility † National Educational Tribunal
† Academic growth
† Autonomy † Innovation † Prohibition of Unfair practices
† Easy entry/exit † De-fragmentation of † National Accreditation Authority
† Private sector knowledge † NCHER
† Trade in education † Selective foreign
universities/invite the
More Bills to come ?
faculty † Innovation Universities
† PPP

41 42

Tilak/Higher Education in India IGIDR Nov

2009 7
 Ten Features of the Bills Ten Features…
a. New understanding on the role of the State f. Consultations/ public debates missing
b. Acceptance of Commoditization, g. Secrecy
privatization and profits h. Token, inadequate measures
c. Global needs to be met/ not national i. Conflicting interests of government
development departments
d. Autonomy for and innovations in new a. Lack of cohesion at the government level
institutions only
j. Absence of vision and a long term policy
e. Existing institutions can be left to decay on
their own
43 44

What needs to be done?

Quick-fix solutions
Problems
¾ inadequate access
Lack of funds
¾ No innovations/Lack of
autonomy
¾ Too much/no regulation
¾ corruption
¾ Overburdened courts and
delayed justice
¾ Inadequate assessment and
accreditation
Solutions
¾ foreign universities
¾ innovation universities
¾ NCHER
¾ Unfair practices bill
¾ Educational Tribunals
¾ National Accreditation
Authority
Desired Level of Funding
Government Commitment to funding higher
education is crucial.
™ Elementary education 3.0% of GNP
™ Secondary education 1.5%
™ Higher General education 1.0%
™ Higher Technical education 0.5%
™ Total 6.0%

¾ Urgency: WTO † Tribunals, accreditation bills

45 46

What needs to be done? What needs to be done?

† At least a minimum assured level of proportion
of the budgets for scholarships
„ To promote excellence (merit scholarships)
„ To promote equity (merit-cum-means
scholarships)
† At least a minimum proportion for research
† Ceiling on fees
† Less reliance on Private sector and foreign
institutions
47
† Investment in Infrastructure development
„ Operation blackboard-like programme in
colleges and universities (focusing on
library/laboratories/play grounds etc.)
† Recruitment of faculty
† A coherent policy and a long term
perspective plan
† Balanced development of all layers of
education
48

Tilak/Higher Education in India IGIDR Nov

2009 8
 Thank you
49

Tilak/Higher Education in India IGIDR Nov

2009 9