HIGHER EDUCATIONHIGHER EDUCATION

IN INDIA HAS IN INDIA HAS VARIOUS GAPSVARIOUS GAPS

• Harsha AgarwalHarsha Agarwal• 10th 10th • Sophia Senior Sophia Senior

Secondary School, Secondary School, Bhilwara Bhilwara

• India has travelled a long way in India has travelled a long way in education, from the “Guru -Shishya” education, from the “Guru -Shishya” practice of learning under the shade of a practice of learning under the shade of a tree in medieval times, to becoming the tree in medieval times, to becoming the second largest in the field of higher second largest in the field of higher education world over after United education world over after United

States.States.

• All high school students start thinking All high school students start thinking about career options but the question is about career options but the question is whether our country has the facilities to whether our country has the facilities to help our dreams  soar in the sky or help our dreams  soar in the sky or whether we have to go abroad to make whether we have to go abroad to make our dreams come true. And this is the our dreams come true. And this is the biggest gap of India which it need to fill.biggest gap of India which it need to fill.

• But the question arises that But the question arises that WHAT IS HIGHER EDUCATION? WHAT IS HIGHER EDUCATION? • It is a stage of learning that occurs after It is a stage of learning that occurs after

secondary education at the Universities, secondary education at the Universities, Colleges and Institutes of Technology. The Colleges and Institutes of Technology. The aim of higher education is to prepare a aim of higher education is to prepare a person to play his part well, as an person to play his part well, as an enlightened member of society.enlightened member of society.

• It is for the person who not able to get job It is for the person who not able to get job and want to study more to do his/her part and want to study more to do his/her part well for his/her life. well for his/her life.

• The world has fast shrunk to a common The world has fast shrunk to a common platform of education and learning.  It is platform of education and learning.  It is then heartening to know that some Indian then heartening to know that some Indian universities like Indian Institute of universities like Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and Jawaharlal Nehru Management (IIM) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) have been listed in the University (JNU) have been listed in the world’s top two hundred universities. In the world’s top two hundred universities. In the field of finance, Indian School of Business, field of finance, Indian School of Business, Hyderabad has been ranked number 12 in Hyderabad has been ranked number 12 in the global MBA ranking by Financial Times, the global MBA ranking by Financial Times, London. London.

Indian Institute of Management Indian Institute of Management UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITY

Jawaharlal Nehru University Jawaharlal Nehru University

Indian Institute of Technology Indian Institute of Technology Bombay UniversityBombay University

Indian Institute of Technology Indian Institute of Technology Delhi UniversityDelhi University

• All India Institute of Medical Sciences has All India Institute of Medical Sciences has been recognized as a global leader in medical been recognized as a global leader in medical research and treatment. In sheer numbers, research and treatment. In sheer numbers, Indira Gandhi National Open University Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) can proudly boast of being the (IGNOU) can proudly boast of being the largest university in the world, with largest university in the world, with approximately 3.5 million students across the approximately 3.5 million students across the globe.globe.

• ““Our university system is, Our university system is, in many parts, in in many parts, in

a state of disrepair. In a state of disrepair. In almost half the almost half the

districts higher education districts higher education enrollment are enrollment are

abysmally low. Almost two abysmally low. Almost two third of our third of our

universities and 90% of universities and 90% of colleges are rated colleges are rated

below average in quality below average in quality parameters...” parameters...”

• Unfortunately, we are lacking hugely in terms of Unfortunately, we are lacking hugely in terms of quality output from our higher education quality output from our higher education institutes. This can be confirmed from the fact institutes. This can be confirmed from the fact that barring exception of few institutes that barring exception of few institutes mentioned above very little world class research mentioned above very little world class research gets published from other institutes, very few gets published from other institutes, very few new innovations comes from Indian soil.new innovations comes from Indian soil.

• There are no Nobel prizes awarded to Indian There are no Nobel prizes awarded to Indian Scientist who has exclusively worked in India Scientist who has exclusively worked in India and published his research from Indian soil. This and published his research from Indian soil. This is not true for Indians living abroad, so the talent is not true for Indians living abroad, so the talent is there but drive to achieve the results from this is there but drive to achieve the results from this talent is not there. This has sadly led to a talent is not there. This has sadly led to a massive “brain drain”massive “brain drain”

IMPROVEMENTSIMPROVEMENTS• The first step towards improvement has to be The first step towards improvement has to be

taken at school level with aptitude tests being taken at school level with aptitude tests being introduced to know where the interest of the introduced to know where the interest of the student lies. These students should then be student lies. These students should then be encouraged to join those fields of interest. encouraged to join those fields of interest.

• Emphasis should be laid on not just increasing Emphasis should be laid on not just increasing the number of higher education institutes but the number of higher education institutes but Centre of excellence. Great stress must be laid Centre of excellence. Great stress must be laid on good infrastructure and facilities. Achievers in on good infrastructure and facilities. Achievers in every field should be rewarded adequately. every field should be rewarded adequately.

• Universities for other varied branches Universities for other varied branches other than Engineering and Medicine other than Engineering and Medicine should come up to prevent saturation should come up to prevent saturation in restricted fields. Last but not the in restricted fields. Last but not the least CORRUPTION needs to be routed least CORRUPTION needs to be routed out and money used to start more out and money used to start more projects and research scholarships. projects and research scholarships.

• Lack of quality teachers has been hampering the Lack of quality teachers has been hampering the overall quality of higher education in the country.overall quality of higher education in the country.

• Teachers are not a manufacturing community Teachers are not a manufacturing community and it involves interaction between students and and it involves interaction between students and teachers for a better teaching-learning process. teachers for a better teaching-learning process. The UGC has thus decided to help fill these The UGC has thus decided to help fill these vacant posts in colleges and universities .vacant posts in colleges and universities .

• It was found that the number of A grade varsities It was found that the number of A grade varsities and colleges were less since many of the and colleges were less since many of the varsities and colleges lacked proper physical varsities and colleges lacked proper physical infrastructure and more importantly quality infrastructure and more importantly quality teachers teachers

• In conclusion higher education means In conclusion higher education means integrated development of personality integrated development of personality which should be imparted through head, which should be imparted through head, hand and heart. Rabindranath Tagore hand and heart. Rabindranath Tagore rightly said, “The higher education is that rightly said, “The higher education is that which does not merely give us information, which does not merely give us information, but makes life in harmony with all but makes life in harmony with all existence”.existence”.

THANK YOUTHANK YOU