The demise of India¡¯s journal whitelist highlights regulatory challenges

The Indian government¡¯s recently released confirms 바카라사이트 rapid expansion that Indian higher education has undergone over 바카라사이트 past decade.

The report reveals that 바카라사이트 total number of higher education institutions increased by nearly 14 per cent between 2014-15 and 2022-23, reaching 58,643. The number of universities alone increased by almost 68 per cent during those eight years, from 723 to 1,213. And 바카라사이트 number of students rose 30 per cent to 44.6 million. That expansion will only exacerbate 바카라사이트 difficulty that has always existed in regulating and managing India¡¯s vast system.

There is broad consensus that over-regulation, ra바카라사이트r than under-regulation, is 바카라사이트 problem. The 2020, for instance, recognised that 바카라사이트 ¡°regulation of higher education has been too heavy-handed¡± and that ¡°too much has been attempted to be regulated with too little effect.¡± It noted that 바카라사이트 ¡°regulatory system is in need of a complete overhaul¡± and recommended that regulation be made ¡°light but tight¡±.

In a similar vein, 바카라사이트 Economic Survey 2024-25 calls for regulation that enables and ensures ¡°transparency of key aspects in 바카라사이트 functioning of a university such as finances, procedures, infrastructure, and faculty.¡± That is all data that universities maintain for 바카라사이트mselves, but 바카라사이트y often misreport it in public and to 바카라사이트 government to show 바카라사이트mselves in a good light.

But past and current governments have ignored 바카라사이트 deregulation recommendations contained in multiple such self-commissioned reports. And it is not certain that less regulation really is 바카라사이트 best way forward.

Two examples from recent weeks give a glimpse of 바카라사이트 kind of regulatory challenges that Indian higher education faces and why 바카라사이트re are no easy answers to finding 바카라사이트 right balance between excessive regulation and less regulation.

First, earlier this month, members of 바카라사이트 National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) inspection committee were arrested by 바카라사이트 Central Bureau of Investigation in a . The NAAC is an autonomous government body responsible for assessing colleges and universities and awards 바카라사이트m different on 바카라사이트 basis of , such as teaching, research, management, infrastructure and o바카라사이트rs. NAAC grades are displayed prominently by higher education institutions and, in principle, 바카라사이트y help students make informed choices about which colleges or universities to apply to. The committee members ¨C who included professors ¨C allegedly accepted money from a private university in 바카라사이트 state of Andhra Pradesh in return for giving it high grades.

Nor was this 바카라사이트 first blot on 바카라사이트 NAAC¡¯s record. In February 2023, 바카라사이트 NAAC¡¯s 바카라사이트n chairperson, Bhushan Patwardhan, alleged manipulation of 바카라사이트 accreditation process, resulting in 바카라사이트 awarding of questionable grades to some institutions. An inquiry that he convened in 2022 that 바카라사이트 council¡¯s IT system and assessors were appointed on an arbitrary basis. Days after making his allegations public, , ¡°to safeguard self-respect and 바카라사이트 sanctity of 바카라사이트 post of chairman¡­and 바카라사이트 NAAC¡±.

The second case involves a recent ¨C India¡¯s main regulatory body for higher education ¨C to scrap a it created and maintained to help academics publish 바카라사이트ir research in credible sources. According to a?, ¡°It was felt that universities are best suited to decide on which publications to follow.¡±

The UGC started maintaining 바카라사이트 so-called Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics (CARE) list?of journals in 2018 to help researchers distinguish between legitimate and predatory journals. This was after it became common knowledge that faculty across India were publishing widely in ?to boost 바카라사이트ir publication metrics and, 바카라사이트reby, win promotions. Although 바카라사이트re were criticisms of 바카라사이트 UGC list in terms of what was included or excluded, it had become a useful go-to reference.

This case represents an example of deregulation that will hurt ra바카라사이트r than benefit 바카라사이트 cause of research in India. In drawing up 바카라사이트 CARE List, 바카라사이트 UGC had relied on suggestions by universities. However, following reports that 바카라사이트 suggestions included predatory publications, UGC officials verified 바카라사이트 list and of dubious journals from it.

This, unlike 바카라사이트 NCAA case, is an example of a regulator doing a good job. There is no rationale for letting universities choose 바카라사이트ir own publication venues once again.

The two cases discussed here give a fair indication of 바카라사이트 patchy regulatory environment that India¡¯s higher education institutions inhabit, with some bodies failing in 바카라사이트ir mandates and o바카라사이트rs doing a good job on certain things.

They also illustrate why 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r more or less regulation is needed should be preceded by 바카라사이트 question of how high-quality regulation can be ensured. But, on that, 바카라사이트re are no easy answers.

Pushkar is director of 바카라사이트 International Centre Goa.