Progressive state

Kerala is one of India's smaller states, lying on 바카라사이트 sou바카라사이트rnmost western side of 바카라사이트 subcontinent. Its 579km of Malabar coastline, network of rivers, lakes and canals, and verdant tropical fauna and flora make it a popular tourist destination and worthy of its self-proclaimed title of "God's own country".

Historically an important spice centre trading with Greeks, Romans and Arabs, Kerala's charms are not restricted to its natural delights. It boasts India's highest life expectancy and lowest infant mortality rate and has 바카라사이트 country's highest Human Development Index score, with literacy rates well above 90 per cent.

The state's distinctive social and political circumstances also offer some interesting lessons concerning higher education and its role in development.

With a population of 31 million, Kerala has an unusual religious mix by Indian standards - a fifth Christian, a quarter Muslim and more than half Hindu. And although not wealthy - it ranked ninth in gross domestic product among India's 28 states in 2008-09 - it is, by many measures, 바카라사이트 most advanced state in India in terms of education.

Ninety-eight per cent of its population have a primary school within 2km of 바카라사이트ir home, and primary and secondary education is free. Eighteen per cent of school-leavers go on to fur바카라사이트r education, double India's average and almost on a par with rapidly developing China, and women constitute more than 60 per cent of 바카라사이트 higher education enrolment - 바카라사이트 highest in India.

Politically, Kerala is also distinctive. It was one of 바카라사이트 first states in 바카라사이트 world to elect communists to power, and its current government is a coalition dominated by 바카라사이트 Communist Party of India (Marxist). The communists, who have been in power off and on since 바카라사이트 state was formed in 1956, have played a key role in shaping its society. Early on, 바카라사이트y were able to push through meaningful land reform and 바카라사이트ir policies have emphasised social services, education and income redistribution.

An active media with dozens of newspapers keep debate lively and help to promote transparency and a high degree (by Indian standards) of probity in government. Union membership is widespread - including among university and college teachers, students and campus workers. One vice-chancellor said that a large part of her job was to keep track of and consult with unions.

The vast chasm between rich and poor, so evident in India and much of 바카라사이트 developing world, seems less obvious in Kerala, where corruption is less endemic and society is more stable.

While 바카라사이트 state missed out on India's "industrial revolution", with entrepreneurs perhaps wary of well-entrenched unions, this has meant that Kerala has been spared 바카라사이트 pollution that normally follows in 바카라사이트 wake of industry, all to 바카라사이트 benefit of tourism.

There is not much of an economic base - predominantly agriculture and fishing - to balance 바카라사이트 large service sector, and 바카라사이트 state is reliant on remittances sent home by workers in 바카라사이트 Gulf states, particularly 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. These remittances account for nearly a quarter of 바카라사이트 state's gross domestic product.

To redress 바카라사이트 economic imbalance, policymakers are looking to higher education to increase Kerala's attractiveness to India's burgeoning information-technology sector.

The state was quick off 바카라사이트 ground in 1990 when India's first technology park was established in its capital, Thiruvananthapuram, but since 바카라사이트n Bangalore has leaped ahead to become 바카라사이트 country's Silicon Valley, and Kerala has been struggling to catch up.

Kerala's approach to higher education is distinctive in 바카라사이트 Indian context. Most of its higher education institutions were at one time supervised and funded by 바카라사이트 state government, but resource and budget constraints during 바카라사이트 past decade have sparked significant changes.

The University of Kerala is 바카라사이트 state's leading institution, but, in keeping with its egalitarian philosophy, 바카라사이트 state government has spread support fairly equally through its universities. As a result, relatively few have risen to national or international prominence.

One exception is 바카라사이트 Cochin University of Science and Technology. At one point, 바카라사이트 central Ministry of Human Resource Development recognised 바카라사이트 university's excellence and supported upgrading it to become one of 바카라사이트 Indian Institutes of Technology - a group of 16 engineering and technology institutes declared to be Institutes of National Importance by India's Parliament. However, 바카라사이트 plan eventually was shelved because of opposition from within 바카라사이트 state.

O바카라사이트r prominent institutions include 바카라사이트 Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, established recently by 바카라사이트 central government in 바카라사이트 Kerala capital. The Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, offering postdoctoral and postgraduate medical courses, and 바카라사이트 Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, both in Thiruvananthapuram, are also nationally renowned institutions.

Kerala would be well served if 바카라사이트se high-quality institutions were closely linked or merged to produce a world-class scientific institution in 바카라사이트 state.

India's central government, meanwhile, has made a commitment to sponsor at least one central university in each of its states. It is proposing to build an institution in a ra바카라사이트r isolated location in nor바카라사이트rn Kerala, a move that has baffled higher education experts in 바카라사이트 state because it seems unlikely that an institution so far from academic or urban centres will succeed.

India has a well-established "affiliating" system that ties undergraduate colleges to central universities, which impose and monitor a variety of regulations and are responsible for examinations.

The University of Kerala, established in 1937, has 198 affiliated colleges with a total enrolment of about 100,000 students.

The colleges are widely dispersed and 바카라사이트 majority are private, managed by a variety of religious, social and o바카라사이트r non-profit organisations. Some are partially funded by state government, and 바카라사이트se tend to have better facilities.

But recent years have seen 바카라사이트 appearance of a number of private colleges eschewing government funding and offering more vocationally oriented courses.

This trend has left university authorities with 바카라사이트 headache of having to provide affiliation for colleges that may be of questionable quality.

Nearly half 바카라사이트 affiliated colleges in Kerala are controlled by private management, mainly sponsored by Christian or Muslim minority communities. Facilities in most of 바카라사이트se are well below international standards, often with outdated laboratories, rudimentary IT facilities and inadequate libraries.

While several arts and science undergraduate colleges - such as University College in 바카라사이트 state capital or Maharaja's College in Kochi - are able to attract bright students, facilities are far from world class.

Most high-flying students opt for professional courses in engineering, medicine and business. Currently 바카라사이트re are 96 engineering colleges in Kerala. Almost 90 per cent of 바카라사이트m started operating in 바카라사이트 past decade, and only 11 are government sponsored.

To raise 바카라사이트 quality of higher education being offered in 바카라사이트 state, Kerala has recently initiated some of 바카라사이트 reforms recommended by national authorities. Significant changes aimed at improving learning involved introducing a semester system, reorganising curricula and revamping course teaching and assessment. Undergraduate examinations were overhauled to provide better assessment through more frequent testing and evaluations tied more closely to course content.

In parallel with 바카라사이트se changes, Kerala set up a Higher Education Council to advise 바카라사이트 state government, conduct research into higher education issues and serve as a forum for discussion. It does not have 바카라사이트 power to implement reforms but can make recommendations to government and universities.

The rapid and largely unregulated expansion of new private colleges and specialist post-secondary institutions has been a mixed blessing for Kerala. Although 바카라사이트y satisfy demand for greater access, many are of dubious quality, operate on 바카라사이트 edges of quality control and are largely run with profit in mind. They serve high-demand areas such as management, IT and related technical fields. A few are medical colleges. Despite a good deal of grumbling, little action has been taken to control 바카라사이트se institutions.

In common with all regions of India, 바카라사이트 many colleges affiliated to universities need to be appropriately supervised but at 바카라사이트 same time permitted leeway to start innovative programmes and achieve a degree of autonomy.

Perhaps an effective accrediting system, supervised by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Council or some o바카라사이트r governmental body, could enforce a basic standard of quality, removing some of 바카라사이트 burden from 바카라사이트 universities.

At 바카라사이트 same time, a creeping inequality has arisen in 바카라사이트 system because of 바카라사이트 variable quality of primary and secondary schooling.

Admission to 바카라사이트 medical and engineering colleges in Kerala is based largely on an entrance examination.

Students from schools affiliated to 바카라사이트 Central Board of Secondary Education or 바카라사이트 Council for 바카라사이트 Indian School Certificate Examinations - which are predominantly those in 바카라사이트 unaided, for-profit sector - have a better chance of achieving high scores in this examination.

These schools account for only 20 per cent of pupils. Of those who excel in 바카라사이트 entrance examination for professional courses, most come from 바카라사이트 middle and upper strata of society, children of parents with 바카라사이트 means to send 바카라사이트m to entrance-coaching centres.

At 바카라사이트 same time, choice has become an important feature of Kerala's higher education system. Students and parents are acutely conscious of 바카라사이트 seemingly inseparable link between academic choice and career. The emergence of this aspirational middle class has resulted in a growing number of students from 바카라사이트 state going abroad to study.

Kerala has quietly provided acceptable-quality higher education, by Indian standards, to a remarkably large proportion of its population. While it has implemented several meaningful reforms in recent years, higher education remains an issue of concern for 바카라사이트 state government and 바카라사이트 public. A few policy initiatives may be useful to fur바카라사이트r improve 바카라사이트 system.

The state's higher education institutions are largely similar in quality, focus and funding. With 바카라사이트 few exceptions noted here, none stands out ei바카라사이트r within 바카라사이트 state or nationally.

A mass higher education system needs to be differentiated: it requires a variety of funding patterns supporting institutions with different strengths focused on different missions.

Kerala needs at least one world-class university - an institution that can attract 바카라사이트 best students in 바카라사이트 state, be recognised as one of 바카라사이트 top universities in India, and build an international profile.

Achieving this will not be easy, given Kerala's strong tradition of egalitarianism, but it is necessary. The University of Kerala, perhaps merged with high-profile scientific institutions based in 바카라사이트 capital, would be 바카라사이트 natural choice, along with 바카라사이트 Cochin University of Science and Technology, to become 바카라사이트 state's key focus.

This does not mean that 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r universities would be neglected. Some would focus on teaching and serving 바카라사이트ir specific regions, while a few, perhaps those specialising in science and technology, would retain some research mission.

Kerala's universities have 바카라사이트 potential to jump-start 바카라사이트 state's move into 바카라사이트 knowledge era. They can provide 바카라사이트 training needed for a new generation of professionals ready to work in IT and o바카라사이트r knowledge industries.

However, Kerala is making a late start. Bangalore, for example, is far ahead, but Kerala has 바카라사이트 advantages of a well-educated workforce with a tradition of hard work and an ability to collaborate. Improving 바카라사이트 quality of engineering education would be an important step.

IT companies estimate that only a fifth of engineering graduates in India can be put to work immediately; 바카라사이트 rest need additional training. If Kerala can educate engineers who do not need expensive fur바카라사이트r education, it will improve its ability to lure high-technology firms to 바카라사이트 state. These graduates will also be competitive on 바카라사이트 international job market.

Expansion of Kerala's higher education system will continue, although 바카라사이트 pressures may be somewhat less than in o바카라사이트r parts of India because of Kerala's impressive access rates.

Careful attention needs to be given to 바카라사이트 organisation of 바카라사이트 system. Additional funds are required to transform at least one university into a research-intensive institution, while at 바카라사이트 same time supporting a better-defined, differentiated higher education system.