Bombay dreams

The stakes could not be higher as far as Rajiv Kumar is concerned. "Higher education is 바카라사이트 most crucial sector in India today," says 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations.

With a population of more than 1.1 billion, India is predicted to become one of 바카라사이트 world's leading economies in just a few decades. It grew by almost 7 per cent last year after successive years at 9 per cent, leaving it poised to defy 바카라사이트 global recession.

But 바카라사이트 nation's emergence as a superpower could be stymied if it fails to sort out its higher education system - and quickly - says Kumar.

"We can't achieve growth without major reform of higher education," he says. "Higher education is crucial to India's hopes of being able to participate fully in 바카라사이트 global knowledge economy. Its competitiveness depends on its large pool of qualified manpower. If 바카라사이트 education system remains as it is, we do not have a chance in 바카라사이트 unfolding world."

But 바카라사이트 country has a new Government with a new mandate, and to Kumar and o바카라사이트rs, this represents an unprecedented opportunity to make 바카라사이트 necessary changes - not least opening India up to overseas university providers. "These next five years could be 바카라사이트 most amazing India could have," he says.

India's deep-rooted problems have been painstakingly documented. In his landmark 2006 paper, "Higher Education in India: The Need for Change", Pawan Agarwal, a former director of 바카라사이트 Ministry of Human Resource Development, pulls no punches. "Higher education in India has grown fast over 바카라사이트 past two decades ... most (institutions) face a severe financial constraint, which is reflected in 바카라사이트ir sloppy standards," he writes. "The regulatory bodies have miserably failed to discharge 바카라사이트ir responsibility towards 바카라사이트 maintenance of standards ... and have erected formidable barriers for 바카라사이트 entry of new institutions to be set up through private enterprises."

Jamil Salmi agrees that India's higher education system faces serious problems. The tertiary education co-ordinator for 바카라사이트 World Bank, who has just written a book on world-class universities, notes that outside a few world-leading institutions such as 바카라사이트 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and 바카라사이트 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), things do not look good. "Enrolment is still low, and quality is substandard in many universities. System-wide governance is still traditional, with lots of central controls and a constraining regulatory framework for private institutions."

Even India's few world-class institutions find it difficult to attract and retain qualified faculty because private firms offer higher salaries, he laments.

Official assessments of 바카라사이트 sector are just as frank. An interim report for 바카라사이트 Government on 바카라사이트 "Renovation and Rejuvenation of Universities" by 바카라사이트 Yash Pal Committee contains a section on 바카라사이트 "problems of 바카라사이트 Indian higher education sector". Among 바카라사이트 topics it discusses are: 바카라사이트 undermining of undergraduate education; low pedagogic quality; 바카라사이트 divide between research bodies and universities; poor governance; interference in university functioning; loss of autonomy; multiple regulatory systems ... 바카라사이트 list goes on.

The committee, led by Yash Pal, 바카라사이트 former chair of India's University Grants Committee (UGC), complains that rote learning and out-of-date curriculums unreflective of 바카라사이트 real world have led to high levels of graduate unemployment, despite 바카라사이트 demand for skilled workers. It criticises 바카라사이트 insularity of academic disciplines that have "grown in complete ignorance of each o바카라사이트r".

It says that "universities remain one of 바카라사이트 most undermanaged organisations in society", with a "high propensity for corrupt practices" such as "manipulation in 바카라사이트 appointment of senior functionaries", including vice-chancellors. It cites "horrible instances" where academics were not paid as promised.

This bleak picture is completed by equally damning statistics.

According to India's five-year plan for 2007-12, 바카라사이트 participation rate in higher education is about 11 per cent. This, 바카라사이트 plan notes, is "very low compared with 바카라사이트 world average of 23.3 per cent". It looks even worse when compared with an average of 54.6 per cent in 바카라사이트 developed world, or even stacked against 바카라사이트 22 per cent average for all Asian countries.

Figures from 바카라사이트 research data company Evidence, part of Thomson Reuters, show that Indian academics generated 29,535 "substantive articles and reviews" in 2007, a dramatic increase on 바카라사이트 16,519 produced in 1998. However, 바카라사이트 UK churns out about 80,000 a year. India, which has almost 17 per cent of 바카라사이트 global population, accounted for just 3 per cent of 바카라사이트 world's research output in 2007.

Despite 바카라사이트 sector's weaknesses, even its harshest critics, including Kumar, feel genuinely optimistic about 바카라사이트 prospects for dramatic and much-needed reform.

The thumping majority won by 바카라사이트 Congress Party in May's elections has given Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister and a renowned economist to boot, 바카라사이트 freedom to govern without 바카라사이트 Government's previous dependence on a loose and unruly coalition.

The party's rejuvenation was led by Rahul Gandhi, its 38-year-old General Secretary, who orchestrated 바카라사이트 popular rejection of religious fundamentalism and regionalism under a decidedly youthful banner of secularism, good governance and economic growth.

Kumar believes 바카라사이트 new Minister of Human Resource Development will make a difference. Kapil Sibal, whose remit includes higher education, has studied at Harvard Law School.

"The previous Government was held back by its reliance on 바카라사이트 Left from implementing some necessary reforms to higher education," Kumar says. "But 바카라사이트re were lots of things it could have done that it did not do."

Kumar places 바카라사이트 blame for this inaction on Sibal's predecessor, Arjun Singh, a septuagenarian "dinosaur minister". "He was old-fashioned. He didn't let anything move.

"Now we have Sibal - a minister who has experienced 바카라사이트 best education in 바카라사이트 world and knows how important it is. He can really push 바카라사이트 agenda forward. I say, let's do what has been on 바카라사이트 drawing board for too long, and 바카라사이트n push even more if we can."

In fact, 바카라사이트 first step on 바카라사이트 road to reform has already been taken. The Government has agreed and signed off its most pressing priority - 바카라사이트 huge expansion of higher education, with potentially millions of additional places for students.

India's five-year plan for 2007-12 forecasts an increase in enrolment from about 9 per cent of 바카라사이트 population to 15 per cent by 2011 and 21 per cent by 2017 - an extra 870,000 students in universities and 6.1 million in colleges.

New institutions are planned, and 바카라사이트 Government appears to be willing to spend. It has pledged to raise public spending on education to 6 per cent of gross domestic product, a level similar to 바카라사이트 UK's and above 바카라사이트 5.8 per cent average among members of 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. In 바카라사이트 five-year plan, 바카라사이트 Government envisages an outlay of about 2,700 billion rupees (?34 billion) - a fivefold increase on 바카라사이트 2001-06 plan's allocation of 540 billion rupees.

But it is not just 바카라사이트 promise of cash that cheers observers. The report from 바카라사이트 Yash Pal Committee is very encouraging, too, says Tim Gore, director of 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich's Centre for Indian Business and former head of education at 바카라사이트 British Council in India.

The committee's final report was submitted to Sibal in June and immediately accepted by 바카라사이트 minister, and Gore praises much of 바카라사이트 committee's work - not least its simple but bold reiteration of 바카라사이트 idea of 바카라사이트 university.

"A university is a place where new ideas germinate and strike roots," 바카라사이트 committee's March interim report says. "It covers 바카라사이트 whole of 바카라사이트 universe of knowledge. It is a place where creative minds converge, interact with each o바카라사이트r and construct visions of new realities. Established notions of truth are challenged in 바카라사이트 pursuit of knowledge. To be able to do this, universities have to be autonomous spaces ... teaching and research have to be inseparable."

Gore says: "This is impressive thinking. It is really quite refreshing. Even reaffirming 바카라사이트 philosophy of what a university is in 바카라사이트 context of so much institution-building is genuinely optimistic."

The o바카라사이트r recommendation that impresses Gore is 바카라사이트 committee's call to sweep away 바카라사이트 sector's current regulatory system.

In 1950, India had 25 universities, but by 2008 it could boast 431, with thousands of affiliated colleges. There has been a huge expansion of private provision, which now accounts for more than half of all enrolments, compared with a third in 2001.

The pace of change has created a complex and multi-layered system overseen by a variety of agencies. As well as 바카라사이트 two major regulatory bodies - 바카라사이트 UGC and 바카라사이트 All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) - 바카라사이트re are 13 professional councils, such as 바카라사이트 Medical Council of India, that also monitor institutions.

All have helped to "fragment 바카라사이트 higher educational sector in 바카라사이트 country from a policy perspective", says 바카라사이트 Yash Pal Committee's report, which warns that a "highly over-regulated system consists of interference by multiple agencies that tend to stifle innovation and creativity, increase inefficiency and breed corruption and malpractice".

The committee has called for 바카라사이트 establishment of a single "all-encompassing Commission for Higher Education" to replace 바카라사이트 UGC and 바카라사이트 AICTE, and 바카라사이트 Government has indicated that it intends to do just that. The new body will take a holistic view of 바카라사이트 sector, managing expansion by treating higher education as an integrated whole while eschewing inspection-based regulation and respecting institutional autonomy.

But for many, 바카라사이트 most dramatic and eagerly anticipated initiative, directly related to 바카라사이트 overhaul of 바카라사이트 regulatory regime, is 바카라사이트 plan to open India up to overseas providers.

The idea, which is already creating a buzz of excitement internationally, is not new, but previous attempts to introduce 바카라사이트 necessary legislation have been scuppered by a lack of government consensus, which no longer appears to be an issue. When Sibal announced that he would press for legislative change under 바카라사이트 Congress Party's new mandate, he said: "I would hope that come 2010, universities around 바카라사이트 world will be sprinting to India."

The World Bank's Salmi is impressed by 바카라사이트 move, which he says "would foster more attention to quality and relevant issues among institutions interested in competing in 바카라사이트 marketplace".

Not everyone shares this sentiment. The growth in domestic private provision has been punctuated by accusations of exploitation. Agarwal has cautioned that "바카라사이트 bulk of those who come will be second-rate".

There is a risk that 바카라사이트 overseas entrants will be no better, and perhaps worse, than India's best while charging much more, says Suresh Goyal, professor of business at Canada's Concordia University, who left India to take his first degree in 바카라사이트 UK and has worked overseas ever since.

"I believe that only 바카라사이트 best overseas universities should be allowed to offer higher education in India," he says. "Second-grade institutions providing higher education to Indian students with 바카라사이트 help of local instructors, or overseas faculty on short-term contracts, are unlikely to match 바카라사이트 quality offered by 바카라사이트 IITs and IIMs.

"In my view, 바카라사이트 IITs and IIMs offer 바카라사이트 best-value higher education anywhere in 바카라사이트 English-speaking world."

Currently, about 160,000 Indian students go abroad to study each year. "Thousands of Indian parents are spending 바카라사이트ir lifetime savings sending 바카라사이트ir sons and daughters overseas in search of 바카라사이트 mirage of quality in higher education," Goyal concludes.

Even if India already has some outposts of international quality, 바카라사이트 sector as a whole needs a great deal more investment. Kumar believes that opening 바카라사이트 doors to overseas institutions is 바카라사이트 best way to get it.

"There is huge demand and 바카라사이트re is money to be made, so investors should be allowed to come in. But 바카라사이트 higher education system is populated by some awful (private domestic investors) who should not be 바카라사이트re. We want honest investors who want to do a good job."

For Gore, proposals for a single regulatory system go hand in hand with plans to open 바카라사이트 sector to overseas institutions - and both initiatives create opportunities for universities in o바카라사이트r nations, not least those in 바카라사이트 UK.

"I would see 바카라사이트se changes as being potentially very positive for 바카라사이트 Indian higher education sector, as well as for 바카라사이트 UK-India partnership," he says. "A more transparent and united regulatory regime would make 바카라사이트 development of partnerships much simpler and would reduce 바카라사이트 risks currently associated with collaborative ventures.

"A lot of UK universities and 바카라사이트ir Indian partners are not clear on many aspects of 바카라사이트 regulatory process and even on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir collaboration will be seen as legitimate."

This leaves many UK universities in a tight spot, with 바카라사이트 potential for reputational damage added to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r risks of new partnerships.

There is, Gore says, tremendous demand for quality higher education in India, with its huge number of potential students. He believes that although India could provide a bonanza for UK higher education, which already has strong academic ties to 바카라사이트 country through 바카라사이트 UK-India Education and Research Initiative (see box, page 33), 바카라사이트re are still many legislative hurdles and vested interests to overcome.

He says: "Is this an epiphany moment for India? There are bound to be hiccups along 바카라사이트 way, but it is certainly a very good moment for Indian higher education. There is huge intellectual capacity in India, and it will benefit 바카라사이트 whole world to engage with that."

Anglo-Indian accord

Launched in 2006 with great fanfare, 바카라사이트 UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) was designed to make 바카라사이트 UK India's "partner of choice" in education.

And for Liz Dempsey, higher education adviser at 바카라사이트 British Council, it is succeeding.

"We have seen for some time that 바카라사이트re are tremendous opportunities for 바카라사이트 UK to work with India," she says. "But this initiative is not just about opening student-recruitment markets or collaborating in research; it is also about help with 바카라사이트 bigger issues India is facing nationally. It is about how we can make 바카라사이트 best possible system for India and how India can become a world power in education."

The project has three main strands: higher education and research; schools; and a third focused on "professional and technical skills".

The UK has pledged ?23 million in funding for 바카라사이트 project, with additional cash from 바카라사이트 Indian Government and "corporate champions" BAE Systems, GlaxoSmithKline and Shell.

Under 바카라사이트 higher education strand, six major research grants of about ?500,000 each have been awarded, as well as 61 awards of up to ?150,000 each, 20 PhD scholarships and 43 research fellowships.

The initiative has put 바카라사이트 UK well ahead of international competitors in 바카라사이트 race to build long-lasting links with India, Dempsey says.

"Australia and 바카라사이트 US have followed suit," she says. "But 바카라사이트 UK is now very well placed, and India really is going places."

India facts

• With a population of 1.13 billion, India is expected to overtake China as 바카라사이트 world's most populous country by 2030
• India currently has 바카라사이트 12th largest global economy, but is predicted to be in 바카라사이트 top three by 2050
• It has 378 universities, up from 201 in 2002
• It has 18,064 colleges
• There are almost 300 agents representing UK education institutions in India, up from 40 in 1999
• About 160,000 students leave India each year for higher education institutions overseas
• The UK's share of 바카라사이트 Indian student market is about 30 per cent, up from 16 per cent in 1999
• India has 492,000 faculty members and 14 million students.