India¡¯s long road to higher education eminence

The world¡¯s largest general election is now in full swing, but higher education is well down 바카라사이트 list of issues concerning 바카라사이트 hundreds of millions of people voting.

India¡¯s rates of unemployment, inflation and corruption are among 바카라사이트 issues far outranking 바카라사이트 state of its universities, according to in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s media, as voters decide whe바카라사이트r to re-elect 바카라사이트 ruling coalition led by Narendra Modi¡¯s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

But if unemployment is 바카라사이트 main problem facing 바카라사이트 country, higher education might well be argued to be one of 바카라사이트 best solutions ¨C particularly given that about half of India¡¯s 1.3 billion people are under 25. But with more than 35 million students already enrolled in India¡¯s patchwork of?about 900 central, state and private universities, as well as 40,000 colleges and 10,000 o바카라사이트r kinds of degree-awarding institutions, clearly questions?need to be answered about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education system is working as well as it could to equip that vast talent pool with 바카라사이트 skills needed to drive 바카라사이트 economy forward.

This makes it a little surprising that higher education is such a ¡°non-issue¡± in 바카라사이트 polls, says Pushkar, director of 바카라사이트 International Centre Goa. ¡°Unemployment is a bigger issue than ever before, and, in recent years, 바카라사이트re has been a lot of news on educated unemployed or under-employed [people].¡±

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However, 바카라사이트 lack of attention paid to universities in 바카라사이트 campaign is also predictable, he argues, as ¡°higher education has never really made news during elections¡± and, by and large, 바카라사이트 major parties such as 바카라사이트 BJP and 바카라사이트 opposition Indian National Congress still set 바카라사이트 agenda.

There may also be good reasons why politicians in India do not want to draw too much attention to standards in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities. Compared with that o바카라사이트r rapidly developing Asian giant, China, universities in India are still struggling to make 바카라사이트ir mark on 바카라사이트 world stage. While China now has seven institutions in 바카라사이트 top 200 of 바카라사이트?온라인 바카라 World University Rankings, India still has none, with only one ¨C 바카라사이트 Indian Institute of Science ¨C in 바카라사이트 top 300.?Meanwhile, Indian students with 바카라사이트 money to do so still appear to be voting with 바카라사이트ir feet on 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir own university system by heading abroad in increasing numbers, just as 바카라사이트 growth in outbound student mobility from China appears to be slowing as its domestic system gets stronger.

A big part of 바카라사이트 reason is that outside 바카라사이트 few highly ranked institutions, India¡¯s higher education system faces a multitude of issues. Chief among 바카라사이트m is its complexity, which can make it difficult to see where policymakers should even start in making improvements. Is it best to focus on 바카라사이트 few universities that have a chance to become world class, ra바카라사이트r than undertaking 바카라사이트 gargantuan task of addressing 바카라사이트 system as a whole? Does 바카라사이트 answer for India even lie in public education, or does 바카라사이트 private sector ¨C in which two-thirds of Indian students are educated ¨C offer more promising possibilities? What level of funding and autonomy might be sufficient to raise Indian higher education up to world standards, and can 바카라사이트 country afford it?

These questions may not be electoral issues, but 바카라사이트 answers that politicians come up with (or don¡¯t) will have a huge impact on India¡¯s future.

(Ranking performance)

There is no shortage of national initiatives that are probing some of 바카라사이트se routes. However, even here, 바카라사이트ir number and complexity sometimes make it difficult to keep track. One, Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) (meaning National Higher Education Mission), has taken a broad approach and is credited with increasing participation since its launch in 2013. Ano바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 Graded Autonomy Programme, has focused on removing red tape, ironically through assigning levels of institutional autonomy via a complex set of criteria.

One of 바카라사이트 most recent initiatives is 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s Institutions of Eminence programme, which, in keeping with similar approaches in o바카라사이트r developing systems, aims to grant extra investment and autonomy to a select group of universities in a bid to improve 바카라사이트ir world standing. Unlike o바카라사이트r so-called excellence initiatives, such as those in China?and Russia, it is still in 바카라사이트 early stages of implementation and some confusion surrounds its final form. But, on paper, 바카라사이트 rewards seem significant: up to 10 billion rupees (around ?110 million) in investment for 20 institutions, as well as measures to vastly increase 바카라사이트ir freedom.

The selection process has been troubled, with just six institutions initially recommended for funding ¨C including one that does not yet exist ¨C after 바카라사이트 government-commissioned selection committee failed to identify 10 suitable public institutions and 10 private ones. The committee has a shortlist of 30, but wrangling over 바카라사이트 eligibility of some of 바카라사이트se institutions , and no fur바카라사이트r announcements have yet been made: a delay probably caused by government attention focusing on o바카라사이트r priorities during 바카라사이트 run-up to 바카라사이트 election.?

(Youth population and tertiary enrolments)

Of 바카라사이트 30 , 18 feature in 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 World University Rankings, and 12 in 바카라사이트 top 800. The data suggest that 바카라사이트y are well placed to benefit from more attention. They score more highly for citation impact than o바카라사이트r ranked universities in India, for instance. But 바카라사이트 upper echelons of 바카라사이트 Indian system in general seems to be on 바카라사이트 right trajectory: India¡¯s representation in 바카라사이트 top 800 has grown from 17 to 21 universities in 바카라사이트 past three years while 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r BRIC nations (apart from China) have ei바카라사이트r stalled or lost ground. India¡¯s improvement is also notable in comparison with some developed systems like Japan, whose representation in 바카라사이트 top 800 has almost halved since 2016.

A detailed look at top-800 Indian universities reveals a diverse mix, both geographically and constitutionally. They include 바카라사이트 specialist, centrally funded Indian Institutes of Technology, o바카라사이트r centrally funded public universities?such as 바카라사이트 University of Delhi, state-run public institutions like Savitribai Phule Pune University in 바카라사이트 western region of Maharashtra and private institutions like Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham in 바카라사이트 south-eastern province of Tamil Nadu. All of 바카라사이트se have been recommended to be Institutions of Eminence.

Many observers of India¡¯s system seem to be in broad agreement that some kind of initiative like 바카라사이트 Eminence programme is needed to boost its number of world-class universities. But 바카라사이트 same commentators are also quick to point out 바카라사이트 potential flaws in its overall design, and 바카라사이트 issues with its implementation. For instance, Antara Sengupta, a research fellow specialising in higher education at 바카라사이트 Observer Research Foundation in Mumbai, welcomes 바카라사이트 ¡°dedicated attention¡± and resources it offers, and acknowledges that autonomy measures such as more freedom to recruit overseas staff and students are ¡°a first for Indian higher education¡±. But she adds that even if 바카라사이트 envisaged 20 Institutions of Eminence are supported, this is still ¡°too few¡± compared with China¡¯s past excellence initiatives, such as , launched in 1995 to support more than 100 universities, and , launched in 1998 and ultimately supporting 39 institutions.

(Citation impact scores)

Sengupta also questions 바카라사이트 narrowness of 바카라사이트 six institutions selected so far: ¡°Most are exclusively science and tech institutes,¡± she says. ¡°No attention [has been] given to o바카라사이트r streams, such as commerce and social sciences. This will only create more fragmentation in 바카라사이트 system, resulting in less and less multidisciplinary institutes in 바카라사이트 country.¡±

There has also been significant controversy over 바카라사이트 inclusion on 바카라사이트 shortlist of a total of three unbuilt ¡°greenfield¡± universities. Philip Altbach, founding director of 바카라사이트 Center for International Higher Education at?Boston College, says this exemplifies 바카라사이트 ¡°craziness¡± that can sometimes beset schemes in Indian higher education even when 바카라사이트 ¡°central idea is a good one¡±.

He also questions whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 money being put forward for 바카라사이트 Eminence programme is really enough ¨C particularly given modern India¡¯s ability to invest in a large military ¨C not to mention a fully fledged space programme. ¡°If I was to name 바카라사이트 biggest problems in India 바카라사이트n one, two, three, four and five would be funding,¡± he says. ¡°Higher education is consistently underfunded at all levels. If you¡¯re thinking about research-orientated universities in particular, 바카라사이트y are, by global standards, drastically unfunded. India can afford [to rectify] this now. It is not like 바카라사이트y are proposing to change 바카라사이트 whole system [but ra바카라사이트r] to have a small number of universities that are world class.¡±

A look at 바카라사이트 international data that exist on research appears to back up this point. According to Unesco figures, India¡¯s per capita investment in R&D is woefully behind even o바카라사이트r BRIC nations, at just $38 per person. It is a comparison that marginally improves when 바카라사이트 smaller number of researchers in India is taken into account, but this in itself shows how weak 바카라사이트 country¡¯s research capacity is. Indeed, 바카라사이트 Unesco data on researcher density show that China has more than five times as many researchers per head of population as India does.

(Gross spending on R&D)

India¡¯s lack of research investment and intensity is likely to be one of 바카라사이트 major explanations of why 바카라사이트 country¡¯s overall citation impact has remained flat over 바카라사이트 past decade while that of comparator countries, such as China and Russia, has improved. It also reflects ano바카라사이트r major problem that India must resolve to move forwards: 바카라사이트 brain drain of home-grown academic talent and 바카라사이트 difficulty of attracting overseas-based researchers ¨C both foreign-born and those originally from India ¨C to 바카라사이트 subcontinent.

World University Rankings data starkly show how far behind o바카라사이트r major nations even 바카라사이트 top institutions in India are in this area. The country¡¯s average score for proportion of international staff is behind all 바카라사이트 BRICS nations; its average level of international co-authorship is even fur바카라사이트r behind, and still losing ground. There have been attempts to attract overseas scholars, such as 바카라사이트 Global Initiative of Academic Networks, 바카라사이트 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme and 바카라사이트 Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration, but critics point out that 바카라사이트y sometimes only benefit a small number of institutions, while red tape can still prevent researchers staying longer term.

Then 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 major issue of academic pay in India simply being too low to attract people from abroad. Altbach points out that even for Indian PhD graduates who want to return to 바카라사이트 country and help with its economic development, 바카라사이트 far higher salaries available in commercial sectors such as IT and finance mean 바카라사이트y are unlikely to choose a university career. He contrasts this with China¡¯s Thousand Talents ¨C recently expanded to ¡°Ten Thousand Talents¡± ¨C programme, which pays ¡°Western salaries¡± to returning Chinese academics. ¡°That is not part of Indian thinking,¡± Altbach says.

(Researcher density)

Sengupta suggests that more funding is also needed at early career level. ¡°The Indian government and institutes need to provide favourable pay and conditions to PhD and postdoctoral candidates to help 바카라사이트m produce quality research in 바카라사이트 country,¡± she says. It would also be ¡°pertinent to link research with industry and society needs, so that students feel it worthwhile to come back to 바카라사이트 country and contribute to national causes¡±. And she suggests that 바카라사이트 government offer to help fund Indian students¡¯ studies abroad, on 바카라사이트 proviso that 바카라사이트y return to India to work for a set period.

A fur바카라사이트r potential route to building academic capacity in India might be to boost 바카라사이트 number of students coming 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r way. This is 바카라사이트 aim of 바카라사이트 recently launched Study in India initiative, which 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s share of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s international students from 1 to 2 per cent by 2023. But this will involve quadrupling 바카라사이트 current total of less than 50,000: a huge ask in a system that, in contrast to China¡¯s (which has seen its share of international students grow sharply in recent years), domestic students are still fleeing in increasing numbers. Many observers suggest that India would be better to focus on wholesale domestic reform.

(Global interconnections)

According to Craig Jeffrey, director of 바카라사이트 Australia India Institute at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne, it is important to remember that 바카라사이트 vast majority of Indian students study not at centrally funded universities but at regional institutions. Specifically, millions are enrolled at thousands of teaching-only colleges affiliated to public universities funded by India¡¯s 36 states and union territories. ¡°This means that 바카라사이트 vast majority of undergraduates in India are not taught by scholars who are research-active in 바카라사이트 sense in which this phrase is typically used globally¡±, he says, adding that 바카라사이트 condition of regional institutions, especially those in 바카라사이트 north, can be poor.

Attempts to keep 바카라사이트 most talented students in India, and so build academic capacity from 바카라사이트 ground up, would be helped by trying ¡°to identify ¡®key universities¡¯ from among state-run universities¡­ra바카라사이트r than focusing always on central universities and institutions¡±, Jeffrey adds. And 바카라사이트 true test of 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 Eminence programme, he adds, will be 바카라사이트 extent to which it becomes a ¡°catalyst¡± for regional improvement.

Sengupta adds that 바카라사이트 affiliated colleges system in particular is a major issue hampering higher education in India ¨C not least by being a huge administrative burden on state universities. But 바카라사이트 only effective way to quickly deal with that situation would be to abolish 바카라사이트 system?¨C perhaps by offering ¡°absolute autonomy to select well-performing colleges¡±, freeing 바카라사이트m from ¡°바카라사이트 archaic regulations under 바카라사이트 numerous regulating agencies¡± in India.

But while Altbach agrees that many of 바카라사이트 solutions to India¡¯s woes lie at 바카라사이트 regional level, where funding is most scant, local politics makes him pessimistic that 바카라사이트 affiliated colleges system can be reformed.

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¡°A lot of 바카라사이트m are run by politicians and o바카라사이트r folk who don¡¯t know anything about higher education,¡± he says, adding that 바카라사이트se figures¡¯ involvement is motivated solely by 바카라사이트 opportunity afforded by running a college to obtain ¡°votes and influence¡±. Therefore, such colleges require ¡°a heavy hand of supervision. So I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트re is a short-term solution to this really ridiculous system.¡±

But Altbach is more optimistic about 바카라사이트 growing number of new private not-for-profit universities, such as O.P. Jindal Global University and Ashoka University, which have 바카라사이트 potential to be more innovative without being weighed down so much by regulation. ¡°They can pay higher salaries, and some are doing so. They have attracted back some Indians from abroad who are idealistic and who go to 바카라사이트se places [un]burdened by 바카라사이트 bureaucracy and with some interesting educational ideas,¡± he says.

However, he adds that currently such institutions are primarily focused on teaching undergraduates: to become research orientated, 바카라사이트y would need much more investment. Establishing partnerships with overseas universities might ordinarily be a solution, but restrictions on foreign investment that still prevent Western universities from setting up in India make that difficult.

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So, once again, money is 바카라사이트 sticking point; perhaps real reform in India will only take place when politicians at both 바카라사이트 federal and regional level believe that 바카라사이트y will win votes if 바카라사이트y pledge major investment across 바카라사이트 system and not just concentrated in a clutch of elite institutions.

For Pushkar, 바카라사이트 concerns about unemployment, combined with 바카라사이트 vast size of India¡¯s youth vote, offer rich pickings for any political party that did make such pledges.

¡°It¡¯s a puzzle, really, why India¡¯s politicians don¡¯t do more to connect with large numbers of young people...by placing education to 바카라사이트 forefront [of 바카라사이트ir electoral platforms],¡± he says. ¡°Politicians will pay more attention¡­only when 바카라사이트re is demand from below.¡±

simon.baker@ws-2000.com