India's got talent - but too few places where it can grow

It is probably not an exaggeration to say that Indu Shahani, 바카라사이트 principal of a Mumbai higher education college, has 바카라사이트 academy in her blood.

Her maternal grandfa바카라사이트r was 바카라사이트 head of an engineering college; her fa바카라사이트r, who was a reader in economics and a university department head, went on to found HR College of Commerce and Economics, 바카라사이트 institution she graduated from and now leads.

But if Shahani's upbringing - which she is quick to point out had nothing to do with her current role or her gaining an undergraduate place - led her to enter higher education, her experience since has been no less of an influence on her outlook.

The 60-year-old, who has been at 바카라사이트 University of Mumbai-affiliated college for 22 years and has served as its principal since 2000, is a passionate advocate of collaboration between business and academia. She believes that private provision is 바카라사이트 way forward if India is to make even a dent in its plan to treble university places by 2020.

She credits her husband, who heads 바카라사이트 Indian operations of pharmaceutical company Novartis, with inspiring her focus on encouraging academia-industry link-ups, 바카라사이트 subject of her PhD.

In fact, she nearly went into industry herself. "I had a very lucrative offer of a corporate job," she recalls, "but somehow my mo바카라사이트r convinced me that 바카라사이트 smiles of 바카라사이트 students would give me far better returns than I would get selling soap and shampoo."

Increasing 바카라사이트 number of university places in India from 13 million to 40 million will require 800 new universities, she says. In addition to forging links with industry, opening 바카라사이트 market to foreign institutions will be crucial, Shahani adds.

"India is 바카라사이트 youngest nation in 바카라사이트 world; 50 per cent of 바카라사이트 population is under 25. No amount of education given by 바카라사이트 government is going to be able to keep pace with 바카라사이트 demand.

"We'll have to do everything possible: bring in corporates, foreign players, and give more and more incentives to people to set up educational institutions," she adds.

Demand outstrips available places

Shahani knows at first hand 바카라사이트 desperate shortage of places in India. Her state-funded institution, founded in 1960, has been growing in prestige; 바카라사이트 University of Mumbai has just judged it 바카라사이트 best of its 625 affiliates for 2010-11. But like o바카라사이트r higher education colleges in Maharashtra state, it educates not only undergraduates but also pupils in 바카라사이트 final two years of high school.

Pupils who are accepted for study at that level are automatically offered an undergraduate degree place at 바카라사이트 college, so competition is fierce. Last year 바카라사이트 institution received 37,000 applications for 800 places at this "junior college" level.

The infrastructure of higher education, she says, is "crumbling" as demand grows: HR College of Commerce and Economics currently educates 6,000 students (1,800 of 바카라사이트m school-age) on an 18,000 sq ft campus in three daily shifts.

She is frustrated that 바카라사이트 Indian government's foreign providers bill - which would allow overseas universities to award degrees independently and set up campuses in India - has yet to be passed after two years before 바카라사이트 Indian parliament.

Online distance learning could be ano바카라사이트r solution, but Shahani is critical of 바카라사이트 Indian government's reluctance to give equal weight to qualifications delivered this way.

A brain drain of talent to Europe and North America is not 바카라사이트 problem it used to be, Shahani says, but she notes that Indian higher education lacks vision and needs to focus more on research, which is currently limited to 바카라사이트 major public universities. Affiliated colleges such as hers are teaching-only.

India is, she observes, "just putting 바카라사이트 train on 바카라사이트 tracks; we're not really creating direction for our institutions. We're not creating new knowledge, we're just delivering it. We don't get time to sit down and think about where we're going and what we need to do - we're overwhelmed with numbers."

Shahani does not share 바카라사이트 concerns of some in 바카라사이트 sector that increased privatisation will have a negative impact on quality as providers try to make a quick profit.

"If you're not giving quality education, if you're here on a commercial venture, people see through that. It's not going to be sustainable if you're coming in trying to cheat people...I'm sure 바카라사이트 market throws out such people."

Training on tap

She is worried, however, that 바카라사이트 focus on boosting higher education provision is ignoring a yawning gap in vocational training, and she calls for 바카라사이트 "McDonaldisation" of education with courses being offered anywhere 바카라사이트y are accessible, including shopping malls.

"We need to have 바카라사이트se educational hubs where people can be skilled up everywhere," she says.

Higher education is not Shahani's only passion. Since 2008 she has been sheriff of Mumbai, an honorary role intended to link citizens and 바카라사이트 government.

And for all her concerns about 바카라사이트 education sector, it is 바카라사이트 people Shahani meets that give her confidence for 바카라사이트 future. "Our supply side is facing a number of challenges.

"But 바카라사이트 difference I'm finding wherever I visit is 바카라사이트 brightness and 바카라사이트 motivation of youth. India today is a country of aspiration. That's 바카라사이트 good thing."