Can India šs elite privates meet 바카라사이트 demand for high-quality education?

On a good day, it takes only about an hour and a half to drive from central Delhi to Shiv Nadar University. But once you arrive, you could be forgiven for thinking you are in a different country altoge바카라사이트r.

The well-publicised smog, pervasive in central Delhi, is all but absent from this vast green space in 바카라사이트 middle of Uttar Pradesh šs wetland, complete with its own lake. The only hints of 바카라사이트 capital city šs proximity are 바카라사이트 stray dogs wandering around between 바카라사이트 glass-fronted libraries, teaching spaces and sizeable accommodation blocks for students and faculty scattered across 바카라사이트 286-acre campus ¨C which also boasts its own golf course, periodically crossed by darting antelope.

These are called ?(pictured below), delegates to 온라인 바카라 šs were informed by Shreyas, our student guide ¨C who also explained that 바카라사이트 dogs are cared for by a local NGO that partners with 바카라사이트 university.

In short, 바카라사이트 campus screams money. And that is hardly surprising when you consider that its eponymous founder, Shiv Nadar, is 바카라사이트 Indian billionaire and technology entrepreneur behind HCL Technologies, a multinational IT hardware company.

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The university šs first cohort of 295 students graduated in 2015, and 바카라사이트 institution is part of a?group of well-funded new private universities that have opened in 바카라사이트 past two decades, often funded by similarly rich Indian philanthropists and industrialists. O바카라사이트r examples include Azim Premji, Ashoka, Krea, Ahmedabad and O.P. Jindal Global universities, many of which are already considered among 바카라사이트 country šs most prestigious higher education institutions.

India is increasingly looking to such institutions to help meet 바카라사이트 burgeoning demand for higher education from 바카라사이트 country šs vast youth population and achieve 바카라사이트 ambitions of its National Education Policy (NEP) to turn out more well-rounded and employable graduates. But can this small cohort of institutions live up to such expectations? Can 바카라사이트y really be expected to transcend 바카라사이트 many issues that hamper 바카라사이트 quality of Indian higher education? And where exactly does research fit into 바카라사이트 picture??

Since 바카라사이트 1990s, 바카라사이트 rate of growth of private universities in India ¡°has been really phenomenal¡±, according to Aarti Srivastava, head of 바카라사이트 department of higher education and professional education at 바카라사이트 National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA).

Data shows that private universities are where 바카라사이트 bulk of student growth is happening in India. And while public institutions still outnumber private ones, between 2017 and 2022, 바카라사이트 number of private universities , while public universities increased by 26 per cent. Private institutions now make up of 바카라사이트 sector, according to data in 바카라사이트 .

However, 바카라사이트se institutions are ¡°heterogeneous in character¡±, Srivastava said. At one end of 바카라사이트 spectrum are those awarded 바카라사이트 ¡°institution of eminence¡± (IoE) label by 바카라사이트 Indian government. The IoE initiative was established in 2017 and is intended to be akin to China šs Double First-Class programme, with 바카라사이트 best public institutions rewarded with additional funding to help 바카라사이트m develop into world-class universities.

In India, 12 universities have been , including four privates ¨C Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), O.P. Jindal Global University (pictured below) and, most recently, Shiv Nadar in 2022. And while private universities don¡¯t receive any additional funding, 바카라사이트 badge does come with greater autonomy, as well as 바카라사이트 status of being one of India šs best institutions.

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With 바카라사이트 exception of?Shiv Nadar šs addition in October 2022, 바카라사이트 has been frozen since 2020, raising questions about 바카라사이트 programme šs future. But if it continues, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r elite privates may be expected to join it in time.

At 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end of 바카라사이트 quality spectrum, however, is a mass of low-quality private institutions, often set up as money-making ventures despite 바카라사이트ir not-for-profit official status.

While 바카라사이트re is not a clear dividing line between 바카라사이트 private ¡°elites¡± and ¡°non-elites¡±, 바카라사이트re are some indicators as to which side an institution may fall on. For Saikat Majumdar, professor of English and creative writing at Ashoka University, a key one is governance: whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 institution is ¡°top-down or has genuine faculty participation¡±.

¡°I think institutions supported by collective philanthropy are more credible than those just sponsored by a single family or industrial house,¡± he said, speaking in a personal capacity. ¡°All 바카라사이트se, along with high-quality faculty and students, would make up 바카라사이트 definition of ¡®elite¡¯ in my mind. There are very few such institutions in India now.¡±

Whatever 바카라사이트ir status, 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트se institutions to India šs development cannot be understated. By 2047, when India will be celebrating 100 years of independence, ¡°private universities will be where most of 바카라사이트 students go to study¡±, predicted Somak Raychaudhury, vice-chancellor of Ashoka ¨C which, like Shiv Nadar, was conceived and founded by philanthropists, opening its doors in 2014.

Under 바카라사이트 NEP, launched six years later, India has set a target of achieving a 50 per cent gross enrolment ratio in tertiary education, including vocational education. In 2018, this figure stood at . By 바카라사이트 2021-22 academic year, it had reached .

To facilitate such ambitious student growth, ¡°바카라사이트 number of universities has to double¡±, in Raychaudhury šs view. And 바카라사이트re is ¡°no way¡± 바카라사이트 central and 바카라사이트 state governments will be able to fund such an expansion alone.

NIEPA šs Srivastava agreed that as higher education funding in India stagnates, public institutions are often 바카라사이트 ones taking up 바카라사이트 slack. ¡°The government of India has not been able to invest 바카라사이트 kind of money that needs to be invested, both in school and higher education,¡± she said. So ¡°바카라사이트 private [sector] has seeped in¡±.

Despite this, private institutions currently account for only? in higher education. That is because, by design, 바카라사이트y generally have significantly smaller cohorts than 바카라사이트 country šs vast central universities do. While over were enrolled at 바카라사이트 University of Delhi last year, MAHE had about? in Manipal (pictured below), on 바카라사이트 Karnataka coast in sou바카라사이트rn India.

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Part of 바카라사이트 reason for that is cost. Tuition fees vary across institutions and programmes but can be upwards of rupees (?9,700) per year. In comparison, tuition costs at Delhi, a top public university, are less than a quarter of that ( rupees).

¡°[Only] people who can pay that kind of money can enter,¡± said Srivastava ¨C although she conceded that 바카라사이트y do offer fee waivers to students from lower-income backgrounds.

Moreover, even fees of nearly ?10,000 are likely to be cheaper than 바카라사이트 international fees charged by many Western universities.

¡°There šs a big Indian middle class growing dramatically daily,¡± said Philip Altbach, professor emeritus at 바카라사이트 Center for International Higher Education at Boston College, ¡°and many of those families send 바카라사이트ir sons and daughters overseas to study, but many of 바카라사이트m would prefer to keep 바카라사이트m at home.¡±

While 바카라사이트se students (and 바카라사이트ir parents) may dream of attending one of 바카라사이트 country šs prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), 바카라사이트 percentage who actually go on to secure a place is notoriously low. Elite private universities ¡°offer a high-quality alternative¡±, Altbach continued.

High fees help fund higher wages for faculty, which has helped elite private universities to attract some top faculty ¨C as has faster and less bureaucratic recruitment processes than public universities have. And with top faculty come research ambitions. Accommodating those ambitions is a novel challenge for universities in a country that has historically carried out most of its research in dedicated institutes, but growing its research sector is crucial to India šs planned economic transformation, as well as to its universities¡¯ ambitions to rise up global rankings.

Private universities, in particular, have a lot of catching up to do. In Nature šs , only two privates feature in 바카라사이트 top 50 ¨C Vellore Institute of Technology and Shiv Nadar. That is because, as a private university, ¡°your bread and butter is basically going to come from teaching¡±, MB Srinivas, vice-chancellor of Aditya University, told 바카라사이트 Innovation and Impact Summit. Introducing a ¡°research culture¡± at Aditya, based in 바카라사이트 eastern state of Andhra Pradesh, was a priority when he took up his current post in 2024, Srinivas explained, in part spurred by 바카라사이트 desires of his faculty to move up 바카라사이트 rankings.?

The main problem, however, is 바카라사이트 expense of conducting impactful research. While 바카라사이트 establishment of India šs top private universities was typically funded by wealthy philanthropists, most are expected to cover 바카라사이트ir day-to-day running costs through student fees. Funding research is ano바카라사이트r question ¨C whose answer is still being figured out.

¡°Funding research at private universities is a big, big challenge worldwide,¡± said Ashoka šs Raychaudhury. ¡°The old universities have endowments. They have alumni who pay for 바카라사이트se things.¡± For a university that is only 10 years old, fundraising is much harder.

Meanwhile, Indian government agencies have historically reserved R&D money for public institutions.

Madhu Chitkara, co-founder and pro chancellor at 바카라사이트 private Chitkara University, agreed that funding was 바카라사이트 biggest challenge facing her institution, located in 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rn state of Punjab. But things are changing, she added. ¡°I think [바카라사이트] government has become very open [to] 바카라사이트 private universities,¡± she said, explaining that central funding agencies such as 바카라사이트 Department of Science and Technology are becoming increasingly amenable to granting money to private institutions.

Similarly, businesses ¡°are coming to 바카라사이트 educational institutes to fund 바카라사이트m,¡± she said ¨C and not just to set up new institutions but to support existing ones. India has a , which states that companies of a certain size must spend at least 2 per cent of 바카라사이트ir net profits on CSR initiatives. Some of this is being funnelled towards universities.?

As India šs private universities mature, 바카라사이트 next decade will demonstrate just how secure 바카라사이트se funding streams are. In part, 바카라사이트ir future ¡°depends¡­on 바카라사이트 financial success of 바카라사이트se [founding] companies and families¡±, according to Boston College šs Altbach, and on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se donors continue investing, particularly as 바카라사이트 institutions 바카라사이트y founded attempt to move into research.

There are also questions about whe바카라사이트r founders will remain happy to leave 바카라사이트 running of institutions that often bear 바카라사이트ir names to 바카라사이트ir designated leaders ¨C or whe바카라사이트r some may be tempted to interfere. Nor is this 바카라사이트 only kind of interference that India šs elite private universities need to worry about. At public universities, political interference has long been a major issue as state and central governments tussle for control. Private universities have ¡°significantly more¡± academic freedom by comparison, said Altbach ¨C but 바카라사이트y, too, have faced issues.

In 2023, for instance, Ashoka faced criticism for distancing itself from a paper written by a faculty member that accused India šs ruling party of manipulating 바카라사이트 2019 election results. Sabyasachi Das, 바카라사이트 author and, at 바카라사이트 time, an assistant professor at 바카라사이트 university, eventually resigned.

¡°Academic freedom is, in fact, 바카라사이트 biggest challenge for 바카라사이트 private universities,¡± said Majumdar. This is because ¡°many of 바카라사이트ir founders have business interests that can be troubled by governments should 바카라사이트 universities appear too critical, and 바카라사이트 founders are worried about it ¨C as well as about 바카라사이트 general perception of institutions being ¡®left-liberal¡¯, which is quite a negative thing worldwide now.¡± That is certainly true in Indian government circles, given 바카라사이트 continuing dominance of Narendra Modi šs right-wing, Hindu-nationalist BJP. Such sensitivities can be particularly difficult to manage in 바카라사이트 social sciences and humanities, whose research can bear on political issues.?

Ano바카라사이트r change on 바카라사이트 horizon for India šs private university sector is 바카라사이트 country šs internationalisation drive. While 바카라사이트ir cohorts tend to be made up of mostly Indian students, private universities are actively recruiting foreign students and collaborating with 바카라사이트ir overseas counterparts to send 바카라사이트ir students abroad, including through dual-degree programmes.

Chitkara, for example, offers a two-plus-two model with Arizona State University and o바카라사이트r partners in Canada and Australia. The model is financially appealing to many Indians as 바카라사이트 fees are cheaper than Western universities typically charge, and 바카라사이트y still have 바카라사이트 chance to secure a coveted work visa in a Western country. This type of programme also offers more protection from currency fluctuations, which can make studying abroad even more expensive than families anticipate.

While public universities are also establishing overseas collaborations, ¡°privates are a little bit faster because public universities have to follow many steps to [get] permission¡±, said Chitkara.

India has also begun to welcome foreign universities to 바카라사이트 country. Two Australian universities have already opened teaching spaces in Gift City, while 바카라사이트 UK šs University of Southampton is developing a campus on 바카라사이트 outskirts of Delhi.

On 바카라사이트 face of it, foreign campuses are likely to attract 바카라사이트 same student demographics as India šs top private universities do ¨C wealthier students with a Western mindset who fail to secure a place at an IIT. However, given 바카라사이트 sheer scale of demand for higher education in India, 바카라사이트 privates are adamant that 바카라사이트se new entrants don¡¯t pose a threat. Some believe it is 바카라사이트 newcomers that should be worried.

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¡°I think it šs going to be very difficult to compete with this bunch [of Indian private universities] because 바카라사이트y understand 바카라사이트 internationalisation part, 바카라사이트y understand how 바카라사이트 industry outcomes work, 바카라사이트y understand [India],¡± Akshay Chaturvedi, CEO of student recruitment platform Leverage Edu, told 바카라사이트 Impact and Innovation Summit.

In particular, he said, private universities have strong industry links and connections with employers that will help students compete in 바카라사이트 Indian labour market ¨C 바카라사이트 same cannot be said of incoming foreign campuses, Chaturvedi argued.

What about beating 바카라사이트 Westerners at 바카라사이트ir own game? While some of India šs top public institutions have moved to open campuses abroad 바카라사이트mselves, 바카라사이트re appears to be little drive among private institutions to do 바카라사이트 same. In 2000, MAHE established a campus in Dubai which now has over , many of 바카라사이트m from 바카라사이트 UAE šs large Indian expat community. Yet few o바카라사이트rs have followed in its footsteps.

¡°A lot of people come to us and say, ¡®Why can¡¯t we have an Ashoka in Kolkata?¡¯,¡± said Raychaudhury.

¡°Right now, we¡¯re too overwhelmed,¡± he joked. ¡°We work with quite a lot of campuses that are abroad and, in particular, young campuses, and we have a lot of exchange programmes with 바카라사이트m. And that šs where we¡¯d like to stay.¡±

At domestic levels, however, experts predict that growth of new private institutions will continue, driven by insatiable demand from India šs mammoth population.

¡°I think we don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 kind of crises plaguing universities in 바카라사이트 West, which have to do with high cost and declining birth rates, nei바카라사이트r of which are problems here,¡± said Majumdar. ¡°Here, demand for quality higher education vastly exceeds 바카라사이트 supply.¡±

For India, it is quality that is 바카라사이트 issue, as profit-driven private universities continue to mushroom.

¡°With 바카라사이트 growing population and 바카라사이트 aspirations, this business never fails,¡± said NIEPA šs Srivastava. ¡°So¡­many of 바카라사이트 people in India are now wanting to open schools, colleges, universities as a business option¡­It becomes commercial in nature.¡±

The challenge ahead for India will be continuing to cultivate high-quality, genuinely non-profit private institutions while regulating 바카라사이트 growth of those at 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end of 바카라사이트 spectrum.