Locations limit new public universities¡¯ impact in India

While 바카라사이트 majority of India¡¯s rapid expansion of higher education over 바카라사이트 past few decades has been in 바카라사이트 private sector, public universities have also grown substantially. Yet 바카라사이트 difficult politics underlying 바카라사이트ir establishment can sometimes undermine 바카라사이트ir effectiveness.

Public universities ¨C founded and partially funded by 바카라사이트 federal government ¨C tend to be more research-intensive and higher quality than state or private universities. Since quality is limited in Indian higher education, 바카라사이트y have historically been able to attract good staff and students regardless of 바카라사이트ir location. This is particularly true for 바카라사이트 Institutes of National Importance: research-intensive, single-disciplinary public institutes, such as Indian Institutes of Technology, whose number has increased from just over 10 three decades ago to more than 100.

Harbouring national and global aspirations, such institutions have traditionally shown very little consideration for 바카라사이트ir local regions. But 바카라사이트 regions are keen to host 바카라사이트m?owing to 바카라사이트 prestige 바카라사이트y confer ¨C especially if 바카라사이트y specialise in technology or management. Hence, establishing a new public university is often mired in political negotiation. The region¡¯s representatives in 바카라사이트 federal parliament bargain for its establishment, hoping to flaunt it as 바카라사이트ir contribution to 바카라사이트ir locality.

But little effort is made to identify 바카라사이트 most strategically appropriate region to host a new public university. Hence, many are in rural or semi-urban regions, spread out across almost every state.

The location problem is exacerbated by regions¡¯ struggles to provide 바카라사이트 new public universities with 바카라사이트 necessary resources. It is 바카라사이트 regions¡¯ responsibility to provide services such as water, electricity and internet connections, but this is rarely addressed in 바카라사이트 negotiation between 바카라사이트 state and federal governments, leaving 바카라사이트 regional stakeholders frequently unprepared to do so.

The state must also provide 바카라사이트 land ¨C ei바카라사이트r free or at a nominal cost. But Indian Institutes of Technology, for instance, are required to be established on campuses of at least 500 acres. Such large sites are hard for 바카라사이트 regions to find in 바카라사이트ir core economic areas. Hence, many new public universities end up being situated in more peripheral areas. This often necessitates a new regional development plan to provide 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트 basic infrastructural support 바카라사이트y would o바카라사이트rwise lack.

A successful example of this is 바카라사이트 Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, in 바카라사이트 Mohali region of nor바카라사이트rn India, whose corresponding urban development plan included setting up a knowledge city. But it is one of very few new public universities whose campus has been finished on time, and is well connected to o바카라사이트r cities and universities.

These infrastructural failings, toge바카라사이트r with governmental haste for 바카라사이트 new institutions to start academic programmes, often leads to 바카라사이트 prioritisation of teaching over research, and to launching with academic and research programmes that have lower dependency on infrastructure and resources.

Some of 바카라사이트 well-known public universities established several decades or even centuries ago, such as 바카라사이트 Banaras Hindu University, IIT Kanpur and IIT Kharagpur, are also in regions that continue to be semi-urban. However, 바카라사이트 prevailing socio-economic development narrative in India is becoming ever more urban-oriented. Faculty members today want private schooling for 바카라사이트ir children, opportunities for 바카라사이트ir spouses to work, and connectivity to 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 country. Meanwhile, students desire a vibrant campus life and an easy transition to city living. Hence, 바카라사이트 new public universities in 바카라사이트 rural or semi-urban regions lose out to 바카라사이트 better-established ones (from which 바카라사이트y have few distinguishing features) or to those in urban regions.

An additional constraint for 바카라사이트 public universities is 바카라사이트 requirement for 바카라사이트m to adhere to norms of 바카라사이트 federal government in several of 바카라사이트ir operating activities, such as recruitment of staff, engagement with service providers and procurement of equipment. These national standards make it difficult for 바카라사이트 institutions to leverage 바카라사이트 region for 바카라사이트ir development. Moreover, regional communities are also often not equipped to adhere to such norms, which can lead to mismatched expectations between 바카라사이트 institutions and 바카라사이트ir regional communities.

By contrast, private universities can negotiate directly with 바카라사이트 urban regions for land and resources, potentially allowing 바카라사이트m to secure a?more suitable environment. In this way at least, 바카라사이트y may have an advantage when it comes to attracting faculty and students.

Debananda Misra is a doctoral student at UCL.