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Higher Education in India - The Need for Change

Author

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  • Pawan Agarwal

    (Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations)

Abstract

Higher education in India suffers from several systemic deficiencies. As a result, it continues to provide graduates that are unemployable despite emerging shortages of skilled manpower in an increasing number of sectors. The standards of academic research are low and declining. Some of the problems of the Indian higher education, such as the unwieldy affiliating system, inflexible academic structure, uneven capacity across various subjects, eroding autonomy of academic institutions, and the low level of public funding are well known. Many other concerns relating to the dysfunctional regulatory environment, the accreditation system that has low coverage and no consequences, absence of incentives for performing well, and the unjust public funding policies are not well recognised. Driven by populism and in the absence of good data, there is little informed public debate on higher education in India.

Suggested Citation

  • Pawan Agarwal, 2006. "Higher Education in India - The Need for Change," Development Economics Working Papers 22139, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:eab:develo:22139
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    File URL: http://www.eaber.org/node/22139
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Archana Mittal & Geeta Mishra & Sunita Bishnoi, 2024. "Workplace Spirituality and Job Satisfaction of Higher Education Teachers in India: Examining Occupational Stress as a Mediator," Business Perspectives and Research, , vol. 12(2), pages 296-314, April.
    2. K.K. George & K.K. Krishnakumar, 2018. "Kerala’s Development Experience: Its Implications for Finance Commissions," Working Papers id:12557, eSocialSciences.
    3. Aham Edward Kanuto & Niu Xionying, 2022. "Surviving and Thriving in the Face of Workplace Adversity: Teachers’ Morale at Universities," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 9(1), pages 74-93.
    4. repec:lan:wpaper:4484 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Mathew J Manimala & Kishinchand Poornima Wasdani & Abhishek Vijaygopal, 2020. "Facilitation and Regulation of Educational Institutions: The Role of Accreditation," Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, , vol. 45(1), pages 7-24, March.
    6. repec:lan:wpaper:4789 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Nawazuddin Ahmed & D. K. Nauriyal, 2024. "The Impact of Parents’ Educational and Occupational Footprints on Children: Evidence From India," Journal of South Asian Development, , vol. 19(1), pages 7-43, April.
    8. repec:lan:wpaper:4356 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Shilpa Ashok Pandit & Preethi G. & Dave C. Wallack & Vijayalakshmi C., 2015. "Towards Understanding Employability in the Indian Context," Psychology and Developing Societies, , vol. 27(1), pages 81-103, March.
    10. Kaushik Mandal & Chandan Kumar Banerjee & Iwona Otola, 2019. "Quest for a New Instrument for Measuring Academic Program Quality," Research in World Economy, Research in World Economy, Sciedu Press, vol. 10(4), pages 40-47, December.
    11. Jacob F. Kirkegaard, 2008. "Offshoring, Outsourcing And Production Relocations — Labor Market Effects In The Oecd And Developing Asia," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 53(03), pages 371-418.
    12. Jai Mohan Pandit & Bino Paul, 2021. "Can India’s Higher Education Improve Through Better Management of Human Resources: A Comparative Study of India and the United States," Indian Journal of Human Development, , vol. 15(3), pages 468-485, December.
    13. Basant, Rakesh & Partha Mukhopadhyay, 2009. "An Arrested Virtuous Circle? Higher Education And High-Tech Industries In India," IIMA Working Papers WP2009-05-01, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
    14. Philipp Kruse, 2021. "Exploring International and Inter-Sector Differences of Social Enterprises in the UK and India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-18, May.
    15. Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, 2007. "Offshoring, Outsourcing, and Production Relocation—Labor-Market Effects in the OECD Countries and Developing Asia," Working Paper Series WP07-2, Peterson Institute for International Economics.
    16. Manjunath Patel G C & Likewin Thomas & Mujeebur Rehaman & Praveena R, 2024. "Brainstorming and Fishbone diagram Tools for Enhancing the Student Placement in Technical Education System," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(3s), pages 1436-1454, March.
    17. Priya Sharma & P. K. Kapur & M. A. Sanjeev & Gurinder Singh & Misbah Anjum, 2024. "Assessment of the factors affecting admissions in HEI’s: a two-phase approach," International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management, Springer;The Society for Reliability, Engineering Quality and Operations Management (SREQOM),India, and Division of Operation and Maintenance, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden, vol. 15(5), pages 1971-1980, May.
    18. García Ramos, Yboon & Flores-Bazán, Fabian & Nicolas Hadjisavvas, 2017. "About the sum of quasiconvex functions," Working Papers 17-07, Centro de Investigación, Universidad del Pacífico.
    19. Borah, Dhruba & Malik, Khaleel & Massini, Silvia, 2019. "Are engineering graduates ready for R&D jobs in emerging countries? Teaching-focused industry-academia collaboration strategies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(9), pages 1-1.
    20. R. A. Oude Vrielink & E. A. Jansen & E. W. Hans & J. Hillegersberg, 2019. "Practices in timetabling in higher education institutions: a systematic review," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 275(1), pages 145-160, April.
    21. Jha, Sanjeev Kumar, 2025. "From state to market: Shifts in access and quality in Indian higher education," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    22. A Aggarwal & R Freguglia & G Johnes & G Spricigo, 2011. "Education and labour market outcomes : evidence from India," Working Papers 615663, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    23. repec:lan:wpaper:4355 is not listed on IDEAS
    24. M. M. Goel & Suraj Walia, 2015. "Indian Higher Education: Trends, Growth & Challenges," Working papers 2015-03-10, Voice of Research.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I22 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Educational Finance; Financial Aid
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • J44 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Professional Labor Markets and Occupations

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