Day 22 – Q.1. Why don’t Indian universities and colleges don’t feature in the list of top ranked global institutions? Examine in the light of the areas that warrant immediate attention in India’s higher education sector.
1. Why don’t Indian universities and colleges don’t feature in the list of top-ranked global institutions? Examine in the light of the areas that warrant immediate attention in India’s higher education sector.
शीर्ष रैंकिंग वाले वैश्विक संस्थानों की सूची में भारतीय विश्वविद्यालयों और कॉलेजों की उपस्थिति क्यों नहीं है? उन क्षेत्रों के प्रकाश में जांच करें जो भारत के उच्च शिक्षा क्षेत्र में तत्काल ध्यानाकर्षित करते हैं।
Introduction
- India’s education system has been at the center of vociferous debate for several years now. Despite the presence of the prestigious IITs and IIMs, Indian educational institutions and universities have had a remarkably poor run when it comes to global institutional rankings.
- India has 49 institutions among the best 1000 universities in the world, according to the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2019. However, all Indian institutes are outside the top 200 global list.
- To reap the fruits of demographic dividend, India needs to immediately pay attention to certain areas in higher education.
Areas of concerns in Higher Education
Broadly, there are two areas in higher education which needs immediate attention; Administrative areas and Academic Areas.
- Administrative Areas
In Administrative areas, issues such as lack of autonomy to the institutions, Funding and infrastructure issues, appointments etc are plaguing the higher education. Recent headlines of the news about corruption in Medical Council of India, and complexities of UGC are examples of administrative issues which need to be addressed immediately.
- Academic Areas
In Academic area, there are many issues impeding the performance of higher education institutions. It includes static syllabus which is not in accordance with the modern requirements and lacks the interdisciplinary approach, also includes scarcity of professional teachers, negligible number of foreign faculty, lack of exchange students and such other many issues.
What is being done?
- Initiatives such as VAJRA (to NRI and foreign scientific academic community as visiting professors) are welcome step to address the issue of lack of professional and competitive teachers. It is also a solution to contain brain drain.
- Similarly, to provide funds for research and related infrastructure, Higher Education Funding Authority is established.
- Similarly, RUSA, RISE, IMPRINT and Institutions of eminence are some other steps taken by Central Government to enhance the quality and competitiveness of higher educational institutions.
What more needs to be done?
- New education policy is urgently needed, which should bring an overhaul to Indian Educational system and make it at par with global standards.
- Substitutions to plaguing regulators such as MCI and UGC should be brought as soon as possible.
- Exchange students program should be started on larger scales.
- Interdisciplinary approach to higher educational courses should be adopted on international standards, giving more opportunities for innovative researches.
Conclusion
For a country that aspires to become a major global player over the next quarter of a century, mediocre education is not the way forward. If we aim to dominate the global discourse, we need educational institutions that not only create skilled human resource but also boosts indigenous research and development, power the country’s intellectual and entrepreneurial leadership, and instil scientific thinking among the masses.
Best Answer: Timber
Target 19
